Joseph H. Deckman
Encyclopedia
Joseph H. Deckman was an American businessman and lacrosse
player and coach. He was elected to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1965.
starting in 1914, where he played softball
as a pitcher
and competed in track and field
. His relay team
set a Harford County, Maryland
record. In 1926, he played basketball
for the Bel Air Town team until he suffered an illness.
, where he played on the freshman basketball
and lacrosse teams. Deckman played three years of varsity lacrosse and two years of varsity football as a reserve tackle
. He earned two letters
in lacrosse and one in football. As a senior in 1931, Deckman was elected lacrosse team captain, and was a unanimous pick at the point position on the Spalding Official First All-American Lacrosse Team. The Baltimore Sun
selected him to its All-Maryland team, and the Baltimore American named him as the defense captain to its All-America team.
The student body voted him as the best senior athlete and he served as the president of the Kappa Alpha Order
. Deckman belonged to the Tau Beta Pi
engineering honor society and the Omicron Delta Kappa
national leadership honor society. Deckman graduated from Maryland with a Bachelor of Science
degree in civil engineering
in 1931.
for the Mohawk A.C. football team in Washington, D.C.
In 1933, he coached the Maryland freshman team which finished undefeated. He served as a scout from 1933 to 1956. Deckman played on the Tri-City team in the Mount Washington Box Lacrosse League in 1936, and the following year, for the Baltimore Athletic Club lacrosse team, which won the National Open Lacrosse Championship. He helped establish the Washington Athletic Association in 1939 and served as a player, coach, and manager for its lacrosse team until 1941.
Deckman worked as the president and general manager of the R. Robinson, Inc. building supply company in the 1940s. He served as the chairman of the District of Columbia Federation of Citizens' Association, and the Public Housing Committees of the Home Builders' Association in Washington, D.C. After suffering a heart attack in 1949, he joined a group of friends, who called themselves the "Bon Vivants", as serious sport fishermen and gourmet
s aboard the vessel Algol. Deckman was the president of the "M" Club athletic alumni organization at the University of Maryland from 1950 to 1951. In 1956, the Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame was organized by the "M" Club at his suggestion. He became the club's treasurer in 1954. Deckman served as president of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame Foundation from 1967 to 1968.
He died on August 16, 1969. Deckman was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1965, and into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
in 1984.
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
player and coach. He was elected to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1965.
Early life
Deckman attended Bel Air High SchoolBel Air High School
Bel Air High School can refer to:*Bel Air High School *Bel Air High School...
starting in 1914, where he played softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
as a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and competed in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. His relay team
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
set a Harford County, Maryland
Harford County, Maryland
Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...
record. In 1926, he played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
for the Bel Air Town team until he suffered an illness.
College career
In 1927, he enrolled at the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, where he played on the freshman basketball
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
and lacrosse teams. Deckman played three years of varsity lacrosse and two years of varsity football as a reserve tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
. He earned two letters
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in lacrosse and one in football. As a senior in 1931, Deckman was elected lacrosse team captain, and was a unanimous pick at the point position on the Spalding Official First All-American Lacrosse Team. The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
selected him to its All-Maryland team, and the Baltimore American named him as the defense captain to its All-America team.
The student body voted him as the best senior athlete and he served as the president of the Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
. Deckman belonged to the Tau Beta Pi
Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association is the oldest engineering honor society in the United States and the second oldest collegiate honor society in America. It honors engineering students who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity...
engineering honor society and the Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa, or ΟΔΚ, also known as The Circle, or more commonly ODK, is a national leadership honor society. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. Chapters, known as Circles, are located on over 300...
national leadership honor society. Deckman graduated from Maryland with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
in 1931.
Later life
After graduation, Deckman was a volunteer assistant coach for the defense at his alma mater in 1932. He played as a quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Mohawk A.C. football team in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In 1933, he coached the Maryland freshman team which finished undefeated. He served as a scout from 1933 to 1956. Deckman played on the Tri-City team in the Mount Washington Box Lacrosse League in 1936, and the following year, for the Baltimore Athletic Club lacrosse team, which won the National Open Lacrosse Championship. He helped establish the Washington Athletic Association in 1939 and served as a player, coach, and manager for its lacrosse team until 1941.
Deckman worked as the president and general manager of the R. Robinson, Inc. building supply company in the 1940s. He served as the chairman of the District of Columbia Federation of Citizens' Association, and the Public Housing Committees of the Home Builders' Association in Washington, D.C. After suffering a heart attack in 1949, he joined a group of friends, who called themselves the "Bon Vivants", as serious sport fishermen and gourmet
Gourmet
Gourmet is a cultural ideal associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drink, or haute cuisine, which is characterised by elaborate preparations and presentations of large meals of small, often quite rich courses...
s aboard the vessel Algol. Deckman was the president of the "M" Club athletic alumni organization at the University of Maryland from 1950 to 1951. In 1956, the Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame was organized by the "M" Club at his suggestion. He became the club's treasurer in 1954. Deckman served as president of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame Foundation from 1967 to 1968.
He died on August 16, 1969. Deckman was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1965, and into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by the M Club Foundation to honor student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who made significant contributions to athletics at the University of Maryland...
in 1984.