Vince Coleman

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This is for the baseball player. For the heroic train dispatcher, see Vince Coleman (train dispatcher).
Vince Coleman
Outfielder
Batted: Both Threw: Right
MLB Debut
April 18, 1985 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Final game
April 14, 1997 for the Detroit Tigers
Career Statistics
Batting average     .264
Hits     1425
Stolen bases     752
Teams
Career Highlights and Awards

Vincent Maurice "Vince" Coleman (born September 22, 1961 in Jacksonville, Florida) is a former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. Primarily a left fielder, Coleman played from 1985-1997 and set a number of stolen base records. He was a switch-hitter and threw right handed.

Coleman began setting records as a college player. In 1981, he set the all-time single season stolen base record at Florida A&M with 65 steals in 69 attempts. He led NCAA Division I that year in both total steals and stolen base percentage. While at Florida A&M, Coleman was also a member of the football team.

He continued his record breaking ways in the minor leagues. He holds the all-time professional mark for stolen bases in a single season with 145 for Macon of the South Atlantic League in 1983. He was also well known for his speed and ability to steal bases with the Louisville Redbirds of the American Association before being called up to the majors. He stole 110 stolen bases in 1985. He stole over 100 bases in each of the following two seasons as well, making him the only player in the 20th Century to post three consecutive seasons of 100 or more steals. Before signing as a free agent with New York, Coleman led the National League in stolen bases in every season he played with the Cardinals (1985-1990), becoming one of just four players ever to lead his league in six consecutive seasons. The other players to accomplish this feat are Rickey Henderson, Luis Aparicio, and Maury Wills.

Coleman compiled the best season of his major league career in 1987, when he posted a .289 batting average and a .363 on base percentage while totaling 180 hits, 109 stolen bases, and 121 runs scored. He played in the World Series that year, the only one he would appear in (He was with St. Louis when they went to the world series in 1985, but was injured and did not play).

After leaving St. Louis via free agency, Coleman was plagued by injuries and inconsistency, and enjoyed only limited success in the latter half of his career. Besides his feats as a leadoff man, Coleman is also known for a freak 1985 injury he suffered when the automatic tarpaulin at Busch Stadium rolled over his leg during stretching exercises prior to a National League Championship Series game. The injury sidelined him for the rest of the postseason, and his Cardinals eventually lost a controversial World Series to Kansas City that year.

Coleman's career took a quick downward spiral in the 1990's. He appalled baseball fans, the press and many African Americans when he declared "I don't know nothing about no Jackie Robinson" in 1991. Responding to Coleman, Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson's widow said, "I hope somehow he'll learn and be embarrassed by his own ignorance."

Coleman became infamous in 1993. Three months after injuring Dwight Gooden's arm by recklessly swinging a golf club in the clubhouse, Coleman was charged with endangerment when he threw a lit firecracker into a crowd of baseball fans waiting for autographs in the Dodger Stadium parking lot. The explosion injured three children, including two-year-old Amanda Santos. He was sentenced to 200 hours of community service for the incident, and was suspended by the Mets for the rest of season. At the end of the season, the Mets traded him, with cash to the Kansas City Royals for Kevin McReynolds.

He finished his active career in 1997 with the 14 at bats for the Detroit Tigers and a .071 batting average. He is presently a baserunning coach in the Chicago Cubs organization.

Contents

[edit] Accomplishments

  • Sixth all time for career stolen bases (752)
  • Most stolen bases in a season by a rookie (110)
  • National League Rookie of the Year (1985)
  • Led the Major Leagues in stolen bases (1985-87, 1990)
  • Two-time All-Star (1988-89)
  • Led the National League in stolen bases (1985-90)
  • Holds an MLB record with 50 stolen bases without being caught stealing (September 18, 1988 through July 26, 1989)

[edit] Trivia

  • Is the cousin of former Minnesota Vikings punter Greg Coleman

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Preceded by:
Dwight Gooden		 National League Rookie of the Year
1985		 Succeeded by:
Todd Worrell
Preceded by:
Tim Raines		 National League stolen base leader
1985–1990		 Succeeded by:
Marquis Grissom
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