Slick Coffman
Encyclopedia
George David "Slick" Coffman (December 11, 1910 - May 8, 2003) was an American baseball
pitcher. He played 18 years of professional baseball, including four years in Major League Baseball
with the Detroit Tigers
(1937–1939) and St. Louis Browns
(1940). In his major league debut in May 1937, Coffman won in an 11-inning, 4-2 pitching duel with Lefty Grove
. Coffman compiled a career record of 15-12 in 313-2/3 innings pitched with a 5.60 earned run average
.
. Coffman's older brother, Dick Coffman
, was a major league pitcher for 15 seasons. The older brother made his major league debut in April 1927 while "Slick" was a 16-year-old high school student.
and Dothan in the South Atlantic League. He won 12 games and lost 10 in 1934 for the Charleroi
Tigers in the Pennsylvania State Association
.
Coffman's pitching ultimately drew the attention of major league scouts, and he was signed by the Detroit Tigers
. In 1935, Coffman was assigned to the Charleston Senators
in the Middle Atlantic League
. Despite an 8-13 record in 1935, Coffman's 2.87 earned run average and his fastball showed promise. In September 1935, the Tigers announced that Coffman would report to Beaumont, Texas
for the 1936 season. At the time, the Charleston Daily Mail
summarized Coffman's performance and prospects as follows:
In 1936, Coffman won 13 games and lost 12 for Beaumont. Coffman later recalled, "I had a fine season with Beaumont, and expected to make this my last season in the minors, for a spell." After the final game at Beaumont, the Tigers called three players up to the majors -- Birdie Tebbetts
, George Gill
and Coffman.
and Tommy Bridges
for a shutout
. Despite his performance against Cincinnati, Detroit manager Mickey Cochrane
told him after the game, "We are sending you to Toledo." After unsuccessfully arguing that he had earned a spot on the Tigers' roster, Coffman told Cochrane, "I'll go to Toledo, but mark my word, I'll be back up in less than 30 days." At Toledo, Coffman won six games for the Mud Hens, leading the Toledo Blade
to report: "This 21-year-old right-handed pitcher of the Toledo Mud Hens
is proving one of the sensations of the season in the American association.""
Coffman was promptly called up to Detroit and joined the Tigers in Philadelphia, and Cochrane told Coffman that he would pitch the first game of a series in Boston. In Boston, Coffman recalled that the newspaper headlines reported that "the young upstart from the cotton fields of Alabama would pitch against the incomparable Lefty Grove
." On the day of his debut, Cochrane came into the clubhouse and announced that Eldon Auker would start the game. Coffman complained to Cochrane, "But Mickey you told me I would pitch today, and I'm prepared to do just that." Cochrane responded, "I don't care what I told you. Go out there and bring somebody in like Schoolboy Rowe
. Grove's pitching today and I want you to get off to a better start...you know we never score many runs off him." Coffman replied, "Well let me tell you Mickey they won't score many runs off of me, either." Coffman recalled that this was all Cochrane was waiting for, and he slammed his fist on a table and exclaimed, "OK kid I'll catch you." In his first big league start, Coffman got the win against Grove, as the Tigers beat Boston, 4-2. Coffman and Grove both pitched complete games, and Coffman allowed eight hits in 11 innings; he also had a hit in Detroit's 11th inning rally. The Associated Press account of the game opened as follows: "Youthful George (Slick) Coffman, making his big-league debut with the Detroit Tigers, today pitched his teammates to an 11-lnnlng 4 to 2 victory over the Boston Red Sox."
For the remainder of the 1937 season, Coffman was used principally as a reliever by the Tigers, appearing in 28 games, but only five as a starter. He compiled a record of 7-5 in 101 innings pitched with a 4.37 earned run average.
In 1938, Coffman continued in his role as a relief pitcher for Detroit. His 39 games was ninth most in the American League, and only six of his appearances were as a starter. He finished the 1938 season with a record of 4-4 and an earned run average of 6.02 in 95-2/3 innings pitched.
When Coffman entered a game in 1938, one of the local writers grabbed the announcer's microphone and drawled, "Gawge (Slick) Coffman now pitchin' fuh Dee-troit." Coffman reportedly had "an accent thicker than Judge Landis' hair."
Coffman was with the Tigers in June 1939 when Lou Gehrig
was pulled from the Yankees lineup in a game at Briggs Stadium. Coffman recalled, "Gehrig took infield practice as always that day and many fans were unaware that a historic event was about to take place. We had already been informed by Manager Del Baker
that Lou would not play. When the announcement was made that Gehrig was being removed from the lineup it shook a sellout crowd up like nothing before had ever done. They gave the Ole Iron Horse a standing ovation which one would have to see to believe."
to the Philadelphia Athletics for outfielder Wally Moses
. However, the trade was cancelled when Judge Landis declared several Detroit players, including McCoy, to be free agents. After the first trade fell apart, Coffman was traded to the St. Louis Browns
for catcher Billy Sullivan
.
Recognizing that Coffman was angry over the Tigers' decision to trade him, the Browns' manager designated Coffman as the Browns' starting pitcher on opening day in April 1940. In front of nearly 50,000 Detroit fans, Coffman beat Detroit's Bobo Newsom
. One newspaper account reported, "The day's biggest turnout, 49,417 customers at Detroit, had to watch their Tigers take a 5-1 lashing by the St. Louis Browns behind the seven-hit hurling of George 'Slick' Coffman, whom Detroit discarded during the winter."
until 1949. His longest stint was five years with the St. Paul Saints in 1942 and 1945-1948. He finished his professional baseball career playing three games for the Toledo Mud Hens in 1949 at age 38. Overall, he went 63-74 in the minor leagues to go along with a 15-12 major league record.
to manage a minor league club in the Cleveland Indians
organization. He later scouted for the Indians until a back injury forced him to retire from of baseball.
Coffman reportedly "loved baseball and loved to talk." In 1953, Coffman attended a game in Detroit and was talking to Ted Williams
when a photographer took their picture. The photograph appeared in the newspaper the next day with the caption, "A baseball oddity, Ted Williams with his eyes closed and Slick Coffman with his mouth shut."
Coffman died in 2003 at age 92 in Birmingham, Alabama
.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher. He played 18 years of professional baseball, including four years in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1937–1939) and St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1940). In his major league debut in May 1937, Coffman won in an 11-inning, 4-2 pitching duel with Lefty Grove
Lefty Grove
Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove was a professional baseball pitcher. After having success in the minor leagues during the early 1920s, Grove became a star in Major League Baseball with the American League's Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox, winning 300 games in his 17-year MLB career...
. Coffman compiled a career record of 15-12 in 313-2/3 innings pitched with a 5.60 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
.
Early years
Coffman was born in Veto, Alabama, a "little town about 25 feet south of the Tennessee state line." He graduated from high school in Athens, AlabamaAthens, Alabama
Athens is a city in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 18,967. According to the 2009 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 24,234...
. Coffman's older brother, Dick Coffman
Dick Coffman
Samuel Richard Coffman was a middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1927 through 1945, he played for the Washington Senators , St. Louis Browns , New York Giants , Boston Braves and Philadelphia Phillies . Coffman batted and threw right-handed...
, was a major league pitcher for 15 seasons. The older brother made his major league debut in April 1927 while "Slick" was a 16-year-old high school student.
Minor leagues
After graduating from high school, Coffman played semi-professional baseball with the local team in Athens, a member of the Bee Line League. After one year with Athens, he played with minor league team in Montgomery, AlabamaMontgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
and Dothan in the South Atlantic League. He won 12 games and lost 10 in 1934 for the Charleroi
Charleroi, Pennsylvania
Charleroi is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, along the Monongahela River, 25 miles south of Pittsburgh. Charleroi was settled in 1890 and incorporated in 1891. The population in 1900 stood at 5,930; in 1910, 9,615; in 1920, 11,516, and in 1940, 10,784...
Tigers in the Pennsylvania State Association
Pennsylvania State Association
Running from 1934 through 1942 the Pennsylvania State Association was a class D league. It was based in the southwestern part of the state. The league was usually full of minor league farm teams. During the nine-year run of the league there were eleven cities, all from Pennsylvania, that...
.
Coffman's pitching ultimately drew the attention of major league scouts, and he was signed by the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. In 1935, Coffman was assigned to the Charleston Senators
Charleston Senators
The Charleston Senators were an American minor league baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They were the first professional baseball team to play in Charleston, beginning play in 1910. The team was inactive during a few periods, playing their last game in 1960....
in the Middle Atlantic League
Middle Atlantic League
The Middle Atlantic League was a lower-level circuit in American minor league baseball that played during the second quarter of the 20th century.-History:...
. Despite an 8-13 record in 1935, Coffman's 2.87 earned run average and his fastball showed promise. In September 1935, the Tigers announced that Coffman would report to Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
for the 1936 season. At the time, the Charleston Daily Mail
Charleston Daily Mail
The Charleston Daily Mail is a Pulitzer Prize winning Monday-Friday morning newspaper in Charleston, West Virginia.-Publishing History:The Daily Mail was founded in 1914 by former Alaska Gov. Walter Eli Clark and remained the property of his heirs until 1987. Governor Clark described the newspaper...
summarized Coffman's performance and prospects as follows:
"Coming from a southern family that has already produced one big league pitcher, Coffman has a thorough knowledge of his position. His blazing fast ball is his biggest threat and it has enabled him to strike out 161 batters this year while walking 82. While his control isn't as good as Twardy's, it is good enough considering he is a fast ball pitcher."
In 1936, Coffman won 13 games and lost 12 for Beaumont. Coffman later recalled, "I had a fine season with Beaumont, and expected to make this my last season in the minors, for a spell." After the final game at Beaumont, the Tigers called three players up to the majors -- Birdie Tebbetts
Birdie Tebbetts
George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians from to...
, George Gill
George Gill
George Lloyd Gill was a professional baseball pitcher. He played three seasons in Major League Baseball, for the Detroit Tigers from 1937–39 and for the St. Louis Browns in 1939....
and Coffman.
Detroit Tigers
In 1937, Coffman attended spring training with the Tigers, and as he later recalled, "this time I intended to stay with the big club." During the 1937 spring training sessions, he developed a "reputation of being a big talker and a fierce competitor." On the trip to Detroit following spring training, the Tigers played an exhibition game in Cincinnati. Coffman combined with All-Stars Schoolboy RoweSchoolboy Rowe
Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
and Tommy Bridges
Tommy Bridges
Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
for a shutout
Shutout (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, a shutout refers to the act by which a single pitcher pitches a complete game and does not allow the opposing team to score a run...
. Despite his performance against Cincinnati, Detroit manager Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
told him after the game, "We are sending you to Toledo." After unsuccessfully arguing that he had earned a spot on the Tigers' roster, Coffman told Cochrane, "I'll go to Toledo, but mark my word, I'll be back up in less than 30 days." At Toledo, Coffman won six games for the Mud Hens, leading the Toledo Blade
The Blade (newspaper)
The Blade is a daily newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, first published on December 19, 1835.- Overview :David Ross Locke gained national fame for the paper during the Civil War era by writing under the pen name Petroleum V. Nasby. Writing under the pen name, Locke wrote satires ranging on topics from...
to report: "This 21-year-old right-handed pitcher of the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
is proving one of the sensations of the season in the American association.""
Coffman was promptly called up to Detroit and joined the Tigers in Philadelphia, and Cochrane told Coffman that he would pitch the first game of a series in Boston. In Boston, Coffman recalled that the newspaper headlines reported that "the young upstart from the cotton fields of Alabama would pitch against the incomparable Lefty Grove
Lefty Grove
Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove was a professional baseball pitcher. After having success in the minor leagues during the early 1920s, Grove became a star in Major League Baseball with the American League's Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox, winning 300 games in his 17-year MLB career...
." On the day of his debut, Cochrane came into the clubhouse and announced that Eldon Auker would start the game. Coffman complained to Cochrane, "But Mickey you told me I would pitch today, and I'm prepared to do just that." Cochrane responded, "I don't care what I told you. Go out there and bring somebody in like Schoolboy Rowe
Schoolboy Rowe
Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
. Grove's pitching today and I want you to get off to a better start...you know we never score many runs off him." Coffman replied, "Well let me tell you Mickey they won't score many runs off of me, either." Coffman recalled that this was all Cochrane was waiting for, and he slammed his fist on a table and exclaimed, "OK kid I'll catch you." In his first big league start, Coffman got the win against Grove, as the Tigers beat Boston, 4-2. Coffman and Grove both pitched complete games, and Coffman allowed eight hits in 11 innings; he also had a hit in Detroit's 11th inning rally. The Associated Press account of the game opened as follows: "Youthful George (Slick) Coffman, making his big-league debut with the Detroit Tigers, today pitched his teammates to an 11-lnnlng 4 to 2 victory over the Boston Red Sox."
For the remainder of the 1937 season, Coffman was used principally as a reliever by the Tigers, appearing in 28 games, but only five as a starter. He compiled a record of 7-5 in 101 innings pitched with a 4.37 earned run average.
In 1938, Coffman continued in his role as a relief pitcher for Detroit. His 39 games was ninth most in the American League, and only six of his appearances were as a starter. He finished the 1938 season with a record of 4-4 and an earned run average of 6.02 in 95-2/3 innings pitched.
When Coffman entered a game in 1938, one of the local writers grabbed the announcer's microphone and drawled, "Gawge (Slick) Coffman now pitchin' fuh Dee-troit." Coffman reportedly had "an accent thicker than Judge Landis' hair."
Coffman was with the Tigers in June 1939 when Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
was pulled from the Yankees lineup in a game at Briggs Stadium. Coffman recalled, "Gehrig took infield practice as always that day and many fans were unaware that a historic event was about to take place. We had already been informed by Manager Del Baker
Del Baker
Delmer David Baker was an American catcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. As a manager, he led the 1940 Detroit Tigers to the American League pennant...
that Lou would not play. When the announcement was made that Gehrig was being removed from the lineup it shook a sellout crowd up like nothing before had ever done. They gave the Ole Iron Horse a standing ovation which one would have to see to believe."
St. Louis Browns
After the 1939 season, the Tigers traded Coffman. He was initially traded with Benny McCoyBenny McCoy
Benjamin Jenison McCoy was a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics . Listed at 5' 9". 170 lb., he batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
to the Philadelphia Athletics for outfielder Wally Moses
Wally Moses
Wallace Moses was a right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1935 through 1951, he played for the Philadelphia Athletics , Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox . Moses batted and threw left-handed...
. However, the trade was cancelled when Judge Landis declared several Detroit players, including McCoy, to be free agents. After the first trade fell apart, Coffman was traded to the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for catcher Billy Sullivan
Billy Sullivan, Jr.
William Joseph Sullivan, Jr. born in Chicago, Illinois was a catcher, first baseman and third baseman for the Chicago White Sox , Cincinnati Reds , Cleveland Indians , St. Louis Browns , Detroit Tigers , Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates...
.
Recognizing that Coffman was angry over the Tigers' decision to trade him, the Browns' manager designated Coffman as the Browns' starting pitcher on opening day in April 1940. In front of nearly 50,000 Detroit fans, Coffman beat Detroit's Bobo Newsom
Bobo Newsom
Louis Norman Newsom was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Also known as "Buck", Newsom played for a number of teams from 1929 through 1953...
. One newspaper account reported, "The day's biggest turnout, 49,417 customers at Detroit, had to watch their Tigers take a 5-1 lashing by the St. Louis Browns behind the seven-hit hurling of George 'Slick' Coffman, whom Detroit discarded during the winter."
Second run in minor leagues
Coffman played only one season for the Browns, but he remained active in baseball for another decade. He continued to play in the American Association and Pacific Coast LeaguePacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
until 1949. His longest stint was five years with the St. Paul Saints in 1942 and 1945-1948. He finished his professional baseball career playing three games for the Toledo Mud Hens in 1949 at age 38. Overall, he went 63-74 in the minor leagues to go along with a 15-12 major league record.
Later years
In 1949, Coffman was hired by his former Detroit roommate Hank GreenbergHank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
to manage a minor league club in the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
organization. He later scouted for the Indians until a back injury forced him to retire from of baseball.
Coffman reportedly "loved baseball and loved to talk." In 1953, Coffman attended a game in Detroit and was talking to Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
when a photographer took their picture. The photograph appeared in the newspaper the next day with the caption, "A baseball oddity, Ted Williams with his eyes closed and Slick Coffman with his mouth shut."
Coffman died in 2003 at age 92 in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
.