Joe Coleman, Prominent Major League Pitcher, Passes Away
The baseball world mourns the loss of Joe Coleman, a prominent right-handed pitcher who left an indelible mark on Major League Baseball for 15 seasons. Coleman, who was selected as an All-Star in 1972 with the Detroit Tigers, passed away Wednesday morning at the age of 78, according to his son, Casey Coleman. Casey Coleman revealed that his father died while sleeping in Jamestown, Tennessee. Joe Coleman was a prominent figure in baseball, being the son and father of Major League players. He was the third pick in the inaugural amateur baseball draft in 1965, when he was chosen by the Washington Senators. The pitcher, known for his height of 6 feet 3 inches and his weight of 175 pounds, made his major league debut on September 28, 1965 with the Senators, becoming the first drafted player to reach the MLB. In that game, he pitched a four-hit game, defeating the Kansas City Athletics with a score of 6-1. After the 1970 season, Coleman was traded to the Detroit Tigers, where he had great individual success. With the Tigers, he achieved a record of 88-73 with an ERA of 3.82 between 1971 and 1976. In 1971, he stood out with a 20-9 record and a 3.15 ERA, after recovering from a skull fracture that kept him hospitalized for two weeks. He was an All-Star the following season and had his only postseason appearance, where he set a record of 14 strikeouts in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Oakland Athletics.Coleman’s strikeout record stood for 25 years. Baltimore’s Mike Mussina struck out 15 in the 1997 American League Championship Series against Cleveland. Throughout his career, Coleman also played for the Chicago Cubs, the Athletics, the Toronto Blue Jays, the San Francisco Giants, and the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his final season, he made 10 relief appearances for the 1979 Pirates, who won the World Series. In total, Coleman compiled a 142-135 record with a 3.70 ERA and 1,728 strikeouts in 484 appearances (340 starts). After retiring as a player, Coleman worked as a pitching and bullpen coach for the California and Anaheim Angels, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Seattle Mariners, as well as several minor league clubs.Coleman’s strikeout record stood for 25 years.
Alofoke Deportes
Casey Coleman, who played in 58 Major League games for the Cubs and Kansas City between 2010 and 2014, added: “He was a good man with a big heart. Everywhere I went in professional baseball, I met pitchers he coached. Many credited him for making it to the Major Leagues.” Born in Boston, Joe Coleman graduated from Natick High. He attended Ted Williams’ baseball camps, where he learned to throw a curveball and a slider. In addition to Casey, Coleman is survived by his wife, Donna, his daughter, Kristen, and three grandchildren.He was a good man with a big heart. Everywhere I went in professional baseball, I met pitchers he coached. Many credited him for making it to the Major Leagues.
Casey Coleman
