LANSING, Mich. – The all-time winningest head coaches in Western Michigan University Broncos and Michigan State University Spartans baseball history, Fred Decker and the late Danny Litwhiler, are the Class of 2023 for the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame, the Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.

Decker and Litwhiler will be inducted into the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame at Jackson® Field™ on Friday, July 7, during the Lansing Lugnuts’ game against the Lake County Captains.

The Class of 2023 was determined by the vote of a nine-member committee comprising Joe Block, Mark Ditsworth, Fred Heumann, Mario Impemba, Bill Killian, Rich Maloney, Tim Staudt, Mark Uyl, and Clyde Weir.

Originally founded on January 28, 2015, and housed at Jackson® Field™, the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame’s mission is to honor the state’s baseball heroes of yesterday, celebrate the national pastime today, and inspire the baseball fans and ballplayers of tomorrow. The Hall of Fame celebrates all levels of baseball, from youth to high school to college to the Major Leagues.

A special pre-game ceremony will see Decker’s and Litwhiler’s Hall of Fame plaques revealed beyond the left field wall. The full Western Michigan and Michigan State baseball families are invited to attend.

A native of Colon, Mich., Fred Decker first made his name at Western Michigan University as a two-time All-American outfielder, taking the Broncos to the 1963 College World Series. After coaching for two seasons at Portage Central, Decker returned to Kalamazoo to join the WMU staff. He was named Western Michigan's head baseball coach in 1976, going on to win 791 games, 401 in the Mid-American Conference – both marks set MAC records. Over the course of his 29 years steering the Broncos, Decker’s teams produced 95 MLB draftees. He led the Broncos to the 1982 and 1983 MAC West Division titles and the 1989 MAC championship, when he was named the MAC Coach of the Year and the Mideast Regional Coach of the Year.

Danny “Skip” Litwhiler made a name for himself through both success and invention during his 29 seasons at MSU. Following the end of his playing career, he turned to coaching, arriving in East Lansing from Florida State in 1964. Litwhiler went on to win 489 games and two Big Ten titles, making three NCAA Tournament appearances and producing 13 Major Leaguers, including Kirk Gibson, Rick Miller, and Steve Garvey. He further impacted baseball by conducting clinics in over 10 countries and introducing the radar gun to gauge pitching velocity, Diamond Grit to dry wet fields, and a special bat to hone bunting technique among more than 100 innovations. His coaching theory resonates to this day: Teach baseball, and then win.

For more information, visit michiganbaseballhall.org or call (517) 485-4500.

# # #

Lansing Lugnuts Baseball
Jackson® Field™ - 505 E. Michigan Ave. Lansing, MI 48912
Phone: 517.485.4500 Fax: 517.485.4518 - tparsons@Lansinglugnuts.com