Nicknamed "The Colonel" because he was a U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant colonel,[7] Coleman was a Marine aviator who postponed his entry into professional baseball in World War II and later left baseball to serve in the Korean War. While a Marine Corps aviator he flew 120 combat missions (57 during World War II and 63 in Korea).[2][3] and received numerous honors and medals including two Distinguished Flying Crosses.[8] In the years before his death, Coleman received numerous honors, including induction into the USMC Sports Hall of Fame,[9] for his call to duty. Coleman was the only Major League Baseball player to see combat in two wars. (While Ted Williams served during both World War II and Korea, he flew combat missions only in the Korean War.)[10][11][12]
Coleman's career declined after he was injured the following season, relegating him to a bench role. He was forced to retire after the 1957 season, but he left on a good note, hitting .364 in a World Series loss against the Milwaukee Braves. He appeared in the World Series six times in his career, winning four of them.[13]
Coleman appeared on the February 5, 1957 of the CBS game show To Tell the Truth as an imposter for singer Don Rondo. He received two votes.[14]
Broadcasting career
In 1958, New York Yankees general manager George Weiss named Coleman personnel director, which involved Coleman scoutingminor league players. Roy Hamey terminated Coleman from that position, upon becoming the Yankees' general manager.[15] It was only after Coleman met with Howard Cosell that Coleman considered becoming a broadcaster.[15]
In 1960, Coleman began a broadcasting career with CBS television, conducting pregame interviews on the network's Game of the Week broadcasts. His broadcasting career nearly ended that year; he was in the midst of an interview with Cookie Lavagetto when the national anthem began playing. Coleman kept the interview going through the anthem, prompting an avalanche of angry letters to CBS.[16]
In 1963, he began a seven-year run calling Yankees games on WCBS radio and WPIX television. During this time, he lived in Ridgewood, New Jersey, which he described as being "19.9 miles from Yankee Stadium, but a million miles from New York".[17]
After broadcasting for the California Angels for two years, in 1972 Coleman became the lead radio announcer for the San Diego Padres, a position he held every year until his death in 2014 except for 1980, when the Padres hired him to manage (predating a trend of broadcasters-turned-managers that started in the late 1990s).[18] He was known in San Diego for his signature catchphrase, "You can hang a star on that one, baby!", which he would deliver after a spectacular play.[19] During home games, the phrase would be accompanied by a tinsel star swinging from a fishing pole that emanated from his broadcast booth.[20] Coleman's other catchphrases included "Oh Doctor!", "And the beat goes on", and "The natives are getting restless".[21]
Here's the Goose...the 1–1 pitch. A one hopper to Nettles, to Wiggins...and the Padres have the National League pennant!!! Oh doctor, you can hang a star on that baby!!!
He also called national regular-season and postseason broadcasts for CBS Radio from the mid-1970s to 1997.[22]
During an interview in the height of the steroids scandal in 2005, Coleman stated, "If I'm emperor, the first time 50 games, the second time 100 games and the third strike you're out",[23] referring to how baseball should suspend players for being caught taking steroids. After the 2005 World Series, Major League Baseball put a similar policy in effect.
The Padres named their press box at Petco Park "The Jerry Coleman Broadcast Center" in Coleman's honor.
He was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame in 2001.[26] In fall 2007, Coleman was inducted to the National Radio Hall of Fame as a sports broadcaster for his years as the play-by-play voice of the San Diego Padres.[3] The Padres would also dedicate their press box to Coleman, renaming it "The Jerry Coleman Broadcast Center".
Ted Leitner and Andy Masur replaced Coleman for most of the radio broadcasting efforts for each Padres game. He did, however, still work middle innings as a color analyst. As of the 2010 season, he reduced his broadcast schedule down to 20–30 home day games.[27] As of November 2010[update], Coleman was the third-oldest active play-by-play announcer, behind only fellow Hall of Famers Felo Ramirez and Ralph Kiner.[28]
In 2011, Coleman was inducted into the International Aerospace Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the San Diego Air & Space Museum for his service as a combat pilot in World War II and the Korean War.[31] Although several Major League ballplayers flew during WWII, he was the only active member of MLB to do the deed twice, forgoing his career to fly in combat in both wars.[32] The SDASM restored a vintage F4U "Corsair" fighter-bomber in the markings of Coleman's aircraft during the Korean War and it is displayed under their SBD "Dauntless" dive bomber (which Coleman flew in combat during WW2).[33]
Death
Coleman's death was reported by the San Diego Padres on January 5, 2014. He died after being hospitalized after a fall in his home.[34] He was 89.[3] Coleman was interred at Miramar National Cemetery after a private funeral.[35]
^"Jerry Coleman". Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. Marine Corps Community Services. March 13, 2007. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2009.
^ abcdSchudel, Matt (January 7, 2014) "Baseball legend was also a military hero" The Washington Post, page B5. Digital version retrieved January 19, 2013 [1]
^ ab"Coleman given Ford C. Frick Award". ESPN.com. Associated Press. February 23, 2005. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Coleman played in six World Series and was The Associated Press's rookie of the year in 1949. He was also the MVP of the 1950 World Series.
^Smith, Ron (2000). The Ballpark Book: A Journey Through the Fields of Baseball Magic. The Sporting News. p. 83. ISBN0-89204-633-3.
^"Padres Announcer Jerry Coleman Dies at 89". KNSD. San Diego. Associated Press. January 6, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2015. "Author and Hall of Fame Sports Announcer Jerry Coleman". Escondido Public Library. City of Escondido. October 31, 2011. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2015. Coleman is famous for his pet phrases "Oh Doctor!", "You can hang a star on that baby!", "And the beat goes on", and "The natives are getting restless".
^Posner, Jay (July 31, 2005). "About the Ford C. Frick award". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved June 2, 2015. 2005: Jerry Coleman – Yankees: 1963–69; Padres: 1972–79, 1981–present; CBS Radio: 1970s–1997
^Bryan Hoch (November 11, 2010). "Marines, not baseball, Coleman's proudest days". mlb.com news. Major League Baseball. Retrieved July 18, 2011. Still enjoying his time in the game as baseball's oldest active play-by-play announcer with the Padres, Coleman is just grateful to have come home safely.
^"Broadcasters". San Diego Padres. Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2013. His military service record includes 120 missions, earning him two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 13 Air Medals and three Navy citations.
^"Jerry Coleman". San Diego Air and Space Museum. 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2015. "Jerry Coleman to be inducted into International Air & Space Hall of Fame". San Diego Padres. Major League Baseball. November 4, 2011. Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2015. The San Diego Padres today announced Hall of Fame radio broadcaster Jerry Coleman will be inducted by the San Diego Air & Space Museum into its International Air & Space Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 5. Coleman will be honored, along with the rest of the distinguished Class of 2011, at the 48th Hall of Fame Induction Celebration, Legends of Flight.
