Choo-Choo Coleman

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Clarence "Choo-Choo" Coleman was born August 25, 1937 in Orlando, Florida and played baseball for the Negro Leagues Indianapolis Clowns and was signed as an amateur free agent by the Washington Senators in 1955. He briefly caught for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1961.

In 1962, he became a backup catcher for the 1962 expansion New York Mets, generally considered the worst team in in modern baseball history. Coleman hit a career high .250 during 50 games of the 1962 season and continued to play for the Mets in 1963 and 1966. He had a career average of .197.

Interviewed by Ralph Kiner for a postgame show after a rare Mets victory in 1962, Kiner asked Coleman, "Choo Choo -- that's a unique nickname for a ball player. Why do they call you that?" Coleman answered, "I don't know." Kiner then followed up with "What's your wife's name, and what's she like?" Coleman eagerly responded, "Her name is Mrs. Coleman, and she likes me." In another interview, when Coleman was asked what his favorite sport was, he responded 'tennis'; when then asked when he had played tennis before, his pithy response was 'high school.'