Danny Coombs – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Danny Coombs put together a solid nine-year run in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher, playing from 1963 to 1971 for the Houston Colt .45s/Astros and San Diego Padres.

He stood an impressive 6 feet 5 inches tall. The Maine native mostly worked out of the bullpen, but 1970 with the Padres saw him thrive as a starter.

Coombs finished his career with 19 wins and 27 losses, a 4.08 ERA, and 249 strikeouts over 393 innings in 144 games. That 1970 season really stood out—he moved into the rotation, went 10-14, and led the team with a 3.30 ERA, which was actually ninth-best in the National League.

Danny Coombs’ story is one of a determined athlete who squeezed every bit out of his abilities at the sport’s highest level, then moved on to coach at the high school level.

From his college days at Seton Hall University, where he played basketball too, to his last MLB game on July 23, 1971, Coombs showed the grit and skill that defined baseball during the expansion era of the 1960s and early 1970s.

Early Life and Education

Danny Coombs was born on March 23, 1942, in Lincoln, Maine. He spent his early years there before the family moved to Brewer, where he attended high school.

He excelled in both basketball and baseball at Brewer High School from 1957 to 1960. That earned him a scholarship to play college basketball at Seton Hall University in New Jersey.

Childhood in Lincoln, Maine

Daniel Bernard Coombs arrived in the small town of Lincoln, Maine, on March 23, 1942. Life in rural Maine during the ’40s and ’50s gave him a good base for sports.

Even as a kid, he stood out on the field and the court. The family’s move to Brewer put him in a better spot to shine as a multi-sport athlete.

That small-town upbringing really shaped his work ethic and values. You could see those qualities throughout his baseball career.

Attending Brewer High School

Coombs starred at Brewer High School from 1957 to 1960. He quickly became one of the school’s most gifted athletes.

He led the basketball team all the way to the state championship game in 1960. That run highlighted his leadership and drive.

On the baseball field, he was a hard-throwing lefty who dominated hitters. Those high school years set the stage for his future in pro baseball.

Brewer still remembers him as one of its all-time greats. Years later, the city recognized him as its most outstanding athlete.

Seton Hall University Years

After high school, Coombs got a scholarship to play basketball at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. He played two seasons for the Pirates, flashing the same athleticism he’d shown at Brewer.

Interestingly, he didn’t play college baseball at Seton Hall. But after his freshman year, a summer league coach came looking for players in New Jersey.

“After my freshman year, a summer league coach was looking for players who would be in New Jersey for the summer,” Coombs remembered. “One of the baseball players in my building said I may be interested in playing and the coach came and luckily knocked on my door while I was in.”

That random knock on the door really changed everything. Coombs pitched in the summer league for two years while still playing basketball at Seton Hall.

His arm got a lot stronger during that time. Major league scouts started to notice, and before long, the Houston Colt .45s signed him in 1963.

Path to Professional Baseball

Danny Coombs’ path from high school standout to pro baseball player started in Brewer, Maine. His athleticism caught the eye of scouts, and his journey took him through Seton Hall University before he signed with the Houston Colt .45s.

Discovery by Scouts

Scouts first noticed Coombs at Brewer High School, where he stood out in both baseball and basketball. People in Brewer still talk about his performances on the diamond.

He was 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds—a build scouts loved in a pitcher. Throwing left-handed with that kind of size made him an intriguing prospect.

Key Physical Attributes:

• Height: 6’4″
• Weight: 200 lbs
• Throwing arm: Left
• Batting stance: Right-handed

By the time he graduated in 1960, Coombs was one of Maine’s top prospects. College recruiters and pro scouts both wanted him.

Signing as an Amateur Free Agent

After college, Coombs signed with the Houston Colt .45s as an amateur free agent. That team would soon become the Houston Astros.

Signing with Houston gave him the shot he’d dreamed about. At 21, he made his major league debut on September 27, 1963, against the New York Mets.

He only lasted a third of an inning that day, giving up 3 hits and 1 earned run. It wasn’t the debut he wanted, but he’d made it to the majors.

Houston saw something in him and kept working with him in their minor league system before bringing him back up.

Transition from College Athletics

Before turning pro, Coombs went to Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. That move took him far from Maine and gave him a taste of higher-level competition.

College baseball helped him sharpen his pitching and game sense. Seton Hall’s program acted as a bridge between high school and the pros.

He also earned a degree, which came in handy later when he spent 28 years teaching and coaching high school in Texas.

Major League Debut and Early Career

Danny Coombs debuted in Major League Baseball with the Houston Colt .45s on September 27, 1963, at just 21. He didn’t play much in the mid-1960s, but eventually became a reliable reliever for Houston.

Major League Debut with Houston Colt .45s

Coombs got his first taste of the majors on September 27, 1963, against the New York Mets. The Lincoln, Maine native had signed with the Houston Colt .45s earlier that year after starring in basketball at Seton Hall.

His debut was a rough one. In just a third of an inning, he gave up three hits and one earned run.

The first batter, Al Moran, reached after a passed ball, then singled. Al Jackson and Joe Christopher followed with singles too.

That rocky start was just the beginning of an eight-year MLB career with Houston and later San Diego.

Performance in the Mid-1960s

After his short debut in 1963, Coombs bounced between the minors and brief major league stints. His best early year came in 1965, when he finally lost his rookie status.

At 6’5″, 210 pounds, and batting right-handed while throwing left, Coombs definitely stood out on the mound.

During those years, he mostly pitched in relief, with the occasional start. Houston had to be patient as he worked to adjust to big-league hitters.

Role as a Relief Pitcher

Coombs eventually found his groove as a relief pitcher with the Houston Astros, who changed their name in 1965.

He had his best early season in 1968, posting a 4-3 record and a 3.28 ERA over 40 games. Most of those outings came in relief.

That year showed he could handle major league competition. The Astros relied on him out of the bullpen for the rest of the decade.

Peak Years and 1971 Season

Danny Coombs hit his stride after joining the San Diego Padres in 1970. He moved from the bullpen to the rotation, and 1970 turned out to be his best season. Things got tougher in 1971, his last year in the majors.

San Diego Padres Tenure

Coombs joined the Padres in 1970 after seven seasons with Houston. The change of scenery offered a new beginning.

He pitched in 54 games over two seasons, going 11-20 with a 3.99 ERA. San Diego gave him more chances to start than Houston ever did.

He made 34 starts with the Padres, compared to just 8 starts in all his Houston years. His time in San Diego showed both his strengths and his limits.

He had the stamina for longer outings, but consistency sometimes slipped away.

1970 as a Starting Pitcher

The 1970 season was easily the highlight of Coombs’ career. He pitched in 35 games, starting 27 of them for the Padres.

He finished 10-14 with a 3.30 ERA over 188.1 innings. That year, he posted a 3.1 WAR, his career best.

Key 1970 Statistics:

• 188.1 innings pitched
• 105 strikeouts
• 5 complete games
• 1 shutout
• 1.386 WHIP

He showed real durability and effectiveness as a starter. Coombs struck out 105 batters and walked 76, showing better control than in his earlier years.

That 3.30 ERA was a big improvement over his career average. He proved he could handle a starting role when given the chance.

Final MLB Season in 1971

Coombs’ last season in the majors, 1971, was a tough one. He pitched in 19 games for the Padres, starting 7.

His numbers took a hit—he went 1-6 with a 6.24 ERA over 57.2 innings. Control issues and home runs became a problem.

He gave up 10 home runs in limited innings, which drove up his ERA.

1971 Final Season Stats:

• 19 games (7 starts)
• 57.2 innings pitched
• 37 strikeouts
• 1.838 WHIP
• 10 home runs allowed

His final MLB outing came on July 23, 1971, against the Pirates. He pitched 2 innings, didn’t allow a hit or a run, and walked one.

That rough 1971 season marked the end of his big league career at age 29. After nine seasons, Coombs retired after the 1971 campaign.

Career Statistics and Notable Achievements

Danny Coombs put together a nine-season career in Major League Baseball, finishing with a 19-27 record and a 4.08 ERA over 144 games.

His best year came in 1970 with the Padres, where he set career highs in wins and innings pitched, proving his value as both a starter and reliever.

Pitching Records and ERA

Coombs put up a career ERA of 4.08 over 393 innings during his MLB run from 1963 to 1971.

His best statistical season came in 1970, when he tallied 10 wins and 14 losses with a 3.30 ERA for the San Diego Padres.

That year marked his only double-digit win season.

He threw 188.1 innings and made 35 appearances, starting 27 times and finishing five complete games.

His ERA bounced around a lot over the years.

In 1967, he hit his lowest mark at 3.33 with the Houston Astros, going 3-0 in six games.

Career Pitching Statistics:

• Wins: 19
• Losses: 27
• ERA: 4.08
• Strikeouts: 249
• Innings Pitched: 393.0
• WHIP: 1.514

Career Highlights and Milestones

Coombs stepped onto a big league mound for the first time on September 27, 1963, with the Houston Colt .45s at just 21.

He experienced the franchise’s switch from the Colt .45s to the Astros in 1965.

His standout moment came in 1970 with San Diego, when he worked 188.1 innings—almost half his career total in one season.

The lefty notched one shutout and picked up two saves during his nine years in the majors.

He struck out 249 hitters and walked 162, which left him with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.54.

Coombs wore jerseys for two teams in his MLB days.

He spent seven seasons with Houston and then finished off with two in San Diego after joining the Padres in 1970.

Statistical Legacy

Baseball Reference credits Coombs with 1.4 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) for his career.

His top season by WAR came in 1970, when he managed a 3.1 WAR, even though his record didn’t exactly sparkle.

His numbers put him squarely among the journeyman pitchers of his time.

At 6-foot-5, the Lincoln, Maine native mostly worked out of the bullpen, though he got some starts too.

Coombs faced 1,754 batters, giving up 433 hits and 26 home runs.

He fielded his position pretty well, posting a .967 fielding percentage over nine seasons.

His strikeout rate—5.7 per nine innings—fit right in with the pitching trends of the late ’60s and early ’70s.

He played through the game’s shift from a high-offense era to a more pitcher-friendly time.

Baseball Almanac, Retrosheet, and Reference Sources

Baseball Almanac and other historical databases keep thorough records of Coombs’ stats and background.

They list his birth date as March 23, 1942, and note his college days at Seton Hall University.

Retrosheet offers detailed game-by-game breakdowns for many of his outings, especially later in his career.

Baseball Reference tracks his advanced stats and WAR numbers.

Official MLB records back up his debut and final game in 1971.

All these databases help preserve the stories and stats of players like Coombs, who played during baseball’s expansion years.

Modern researchers lean on these archives to keep the history straight.

It’s nice to know players from Coombs’ era won’t be forgotten.

Post-Baseball Life and Coaching

After leaving Major League Baseball in 1971, Danny Coombs switched gears and went into education.

He spent 28 years teaching and coaching at Texas high schools.

Later, he moved back to his hometown of Brewer, Maine, where the community recognized him as a notable athlete.

High School Coaching Career

Coombs devoted nearly three decades to working with young athletes in Texas.

He took on the roles of teacher and coach for 28 years after his baseball days ended.

His time in the majors gave him plenty to share with student-athletes.

Coombs spent years in the Texas school system, helping kids grow on and off the field.

The shift from pro pitcher to educator worked out well for him.

He brought his big league background to high school diamonds, guiding countless players along the way.

Coombs coached from 1971 until he retired from teaching.

That’s a pretty long stretch of giving back and shaping the next generation.

Community Involvement

Back in 2012, Coombs got some well-deserved recognition from his hometown. The Brewer City Council honored him as a “notable Brewer athlete.”

City Councilor Joseph Ferris pointed out that no one in the city had ever properly celebrated their most accomplished athlete. It felt long overdue, honestly.

Brewer High School retired his number 21 for both baseball and basketball. The school wanted to acknowledge just how much he’d achieved as their most successful professional athlete.

In August 2012, the city threw a bicentennial banquet to celebrate Coombs’ career. This event fit right into Brewer’s 200th birthday festivities and really showed how much he meant to everyone there.

They named Coombs Brewer’s Bicentennial Athlete, which pretty much cemented his legacy in town. The honor highlighted his baseball career, but also the work he did in education and coaching.