Joe Baker

Description[from Freebase]

Joseph Henry "Joe" Baker (17 July 1940 – 6 October 2003) was an England international footballer. Born in Liverpool, England, he spent virtually his entire childhood growing up in Motherwell, Scotland. He is notable for being the first player to have played for England without having previously played in the English football league system, and for scoring over 100 goals in both the English and Scottish leagues. His brother Gerry Baker was also a professional footballer; Gerry signed for Hibernian not long after Joe had left Hibs to play for Torino. A centre forward, Baker spent a month on trial with Chelsea as a youngster, but was not signed. He signed professional terms with Hibernian after playing junior football for Coltness United and Armadale Thistle. In his first season with Hibs, the 17 year-old Baker scored all four goals in Hibs' 4–3 victory over city rivals Hearts in the quarter-final of the 1958 Scottish Cup. Baker played in the 1958 Scottish Cup Final, which Hibs lost 1–0 to Clyde. He also scored nine goals in a Scottish Cup tie against Peebles Rovers.

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