Joseph Patrick Coleman (July 30, 1922 – April 9, 1997) was an American professional baseball player. A right-hander, he was a pitcher in the Major Leagues for the Philadelphia Athletics (1942, 1946–1951 and 1953), Baltimore Orioles (1954–1955) and Detroit Tigers (1955). The native of Medford, Massachusetts was the father of Joe Coleman, a Major League pitcher for 15 seasons (1965–1979) and a two-time 20-game winner, and the grandfather of Casey Coleman, a pitcher with the Chicago Cubs since 2010.
The eldest Coleman missed the 1943–1945 seasons while serving in the United States Navy during World War II. He was named to the 1948 American League All-Star Team.
He finished 19th in voting for the 1954 American League MVP for having a 13–17 Win-Loss record, 33 Games, 32 Games Started, 15 Complete Games, 4 Shutouts, 221 ⅓ Innings Pitched, 184 Hits Allowed, 102 Runs Allowed, 86 Earned Runs Allowed, 16 Home Runs Allowed, 96 Walks Allowed, 103 Strikeouts, 3 Hit Batsmen, 1 Wild Pitch, 912 Batters Faced and a 3.50 ERA.
In 10 seasons he had a 52–76 Win-Loss record, 223 Games, 140 Games Started, 60 Complete Games, 11 Shutouts, 55 Games Finished, 6 Saves, 1,134 Innings Pitched, 1,172 Hits Allowed, 616 Runs Allowed, 552 Earned Runs Allowed, 92 Home Runs Allowed, 566 Walks Allowed, 444 Strikeouts, 13 Hit Batsmen, 19 Wild Pitches, 4,993 Batters Faced, 3 Balks and a 4.38 ERA.
He died in Ft. Myers, Florida at the age of 74.
Famous quotes containing the word joe:
“This might be the end of the world. If Joe lost we were back in slavery and beyond help. It would all be true, the accusations that we were lower types of human beings. Only a little higher than apes. True that we were stupid and ugly and lazy and dirty and, unlucky and worst of all, that God Himself hated us and ordained us to be hewers of wood and drawers of water, forever and ever, world without end.”
—Maya Angelou (b. 1928)