Joe Coleman, who passed away this week at age 78, was one of the American League’s most electric arms in the early 1970s. A right-hander with a high leg kick and an intimidating mound presence, Coleman piled up strikeouts and innings for the Detroit Tigers, earning a reputation as a fierce competitor who could dominate the game on any given day.
From 1971 to 1973, Coleman was among the AL’s strikeout leaders, including a standout 1972 season when he went 19-14 with a 2.80 ERA and logged 280 innings. He finished that year with 222 strikeouts, helping keep the Tigers in contention and cementing his place as one of the top pitchers of his era.
A Star-Crossed All-Star Moment
In the summer of 1972, Coleman was at the height of his powers, carving up American League hitters and earning his first (and only) selection to the MLB All-Star Game. The game, held at Atlanta Stadium, was set to feature Coleman among a dazzling roster of stars, including Nolan Ryan, Gaylord Perry, and Rod Carew.
But fate intervened. Coleman was unable to pitch in the game due to a sore arm, the result of heavy innings and the physical toll of being a workhorse starter. While he was honored to be there, it was a bittersweet experience, forced to watch from the dugout as the AL fell to the National League, 4-3.
Still, the All-Star selection was significant in a way that transcended personal disappointment. By earning his spot on the 1972 team, Coleman and his father, Joe Coleman Sr.–who had been an All-Star in 1948 for the Philadelphia Athletics–became the first father and son to both be chosen as All-Star pitchers in MLB history.
Baseball as a Family Bond
Baseball ran deep in the Coleman family, far beyond box scores and accolades. Joe Jr. grew up with a father who pitched in the majors from 1942 to 1955. The elder Coleman’s love for the game deeply influenced his son, but without overwhelming pressure.
“My father never pushed me,” Joe Jr. said. “He let me pitch. If I had a question, then he’d help me.”
By his senior year, Joe Sr. said, “[scouts] were swarming all over the place.”
Joe Jr.’s legacy didn’t stop with his own playing career. His son, Casey Coleman, became a big-league pitcher as well, suiting up for teams including the Chicago Cubs. This made the Colemans one of baseball’s rare three-generation families to reach the majors–a testament to both talent and the shared love of the game.
As he pursued his own big-league career, Casey leaned on his father’s blunt wisdom and guidance.
“My dad put me in my place and gave me the best advice I ever got,” Casey said. “‘You’re a 6-foot, right-handed pitcher. I’ve got guys on my team that are farther along. Take what they [Cubs] offer, be grateful, get in front and show them who you are.”
That perspective guided Casey in moments when he had to weigh ambition against gratitude.
“He was a good man with a really good heart,” Casey said. For the Colemans, baseball was as much about family as it was about the sport itself.
Coleman’s Career Stats
Over a 15-year Major League career, Coleman pitched in 484 games, compiling a record of 142 wins with a career ERA of 3.70. He recorded 1,728 strikeouts in 2,569 1/3 innings pitched, demonstrating both durability and power throughout his time on the mound.
Coleman reached the 20-win plateau in 1971, going 20-9 for the Tigers. He also finished in the top ten in strikeouts in the American League five times, and twice ranked among the league leaders in shutouts. His career included stints with the Washington Senators, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Oakland A’s, San Francisco Giants, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
“Everyone in the game respected him, which is really rare in pro baseball,” Casey said. “I never heard a bad word about him; and I never heard him say a bad word about a player.”
Remembering Joe Coleman’s Place in the Game
As the baseball world turns its eyes toward next week’s All-Star Game, it’s worth pausing to remember Joe Coleman’s contributions, not only as a pitcher with a blazing fastball, but as part of a family that helped weave baseball’s generational threads.
Coleman’s name belongs in conversations about the game’s history not merely because of his 142 career wins or his All-Star selection, but because he embodied how baseball connects fathers and sons, linking past, present, and future through a shared love for the sport.
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