RIP, Jerry Coleman

[terrynever]

The only MLB player to see combat action in two wars died today. Jerry Coleman flew 57 missions over the Solomon Islands during WWII and 120 over Korea. A top rookie in 1949 and an all-star second baseman in 1950 for the Yankees, Coleman admitted he was never the same player again after coming back from Korea in 1953. Went on to a HOF career as a broadcaster, the last 40 with San Diego.
 
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/yankees-legend-war-hero-coleman-dies-89-article-1.1567084

 

[mt8thsw9th]

"Winfield goes back to the wall, he hits his head on the wall and it rolls off! It's rolling all the way back to second base. This is a terrible thing for the Padres!"

 

[Al Zarilla]

Wow, I didn't know he flew that many missions. I know that Coleman and Ted Williams served together in one of the wars and expect to see reference to it in the new Williams book I'm reading. RIP Jerry.

 

[Investor 11]

The Padres are keeping the ballpark park area open until 11:30 tonight for anyone who wishes to visit the statue they dedicated to Coleman last year. A nice, quick response, gesture that I plan on taking advantage of later tonight.

 

[Robert Plant]

He was one of the great baseball radio personalities. At the end of last season I wondered if it could be his last. This is a sad day. We never will hear his years of wisdom again.

 

[Investor 11]

He was one of the great baseball radio personalities. At the end of last season I wondered if it could be his last. This is a sad day. We never will hear his years of wisdom again.

You could really tell that he was losing steam at the end of last year.

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

Here he is calling Mickey Mantle's 500th home run.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioALzM98jaQ

 

[terrynever]

Thanks. great video of Mick in his limping years.

 

[Investor 11]

I hate to overwhelm the thread, but for some added perspective:

My fiancée, who enjoys baseball but is by no means a student of the game, called to tell me she was at the store to get some flowers so we could leave them at the Coleman statue at the ballpark tonight.

For her to do that unsolicited drives home to me how important he was to even the casual baseball fan here.

Edit to add: a very heartfelt and sincere tribute by his broadcast partner Ted Leitner.

http://t.co/9X0hfJr6s7

 

[Robert Plant]

You could really tell that he was losing steam at the end of last year.

Yes, he was basically giving the same commentary every game but his voice was still wonderful.

 

[LogansDad]

That call is amazing.  "This is it! There it goes! It's outta here!"  Then a full minute of letting the crowd bring it home. 
 
Not many broadcasters today would be able to pull that off without adding their own non-sensical monologue in there.  These guys are few and far between, and get fewer every year.  Sad day for baseball.

 

[Rasputin]

Just as an aside, the Mick could have used Buckner's hightops.

It feels like all the great voices are leaving us.

 

[mt8thsw9th]

It feels like all the great voices are leaving us.

 
Well, there are a lot that will be back next year, and they'll be back big!