Choo-Choo Coleman – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Clarence “Choo-Choo” Coleman stands out as one of baseball’s most memorable personalities, not for his stats, but for his charm as a member of the original 1962 New York Mets. This quiet catcher from Orlando, Florida, earned his nickname thanks to his speed on the basepaths, becoming a bit of a legend during those early, tough years for the Mets.

Coleman played in the majors from 1961 to 1966, spending most of his time with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. He wrapped up his baseball journey with a short run for the Jacksonville Suns in Triple-A.

He started out with the Negro Leagues and the Indianapolis Clowns, then made it to the majors, where he put up a .197 average in 201 games.

But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Coleman’s journey mirrors the bigger picture of baseball in the 1960s, touching on themes of integration and expansion. He was a shy guy, mostly because of a childhood stutter, so he let his play do the talking.

His career shows how one player’s path can cross with some of baseball’s big moments, like the birth of the Mets and the hurdles African-American players faced as the sport changed.

Early Life and Background

Clarence “Choo-Choo” Coleman was born August 25, 1935, in Orlando, Florida. He was the seventh of eight children raised by John Henry and Elnora Coleman.

Growing up, his family didn’t have much, but they lived near parks that gave him a chance to play sports. Coleman got his famous nickname in high school because he was just so fast on the baseball diamond.

Childhood in Orlando

Coleman and his siblings grew up in a small house just west of downtown Orlando. His parents, John Henry and Elnora (Pittman) Coleman, had left Georgia for Florida around 1923.

They settled about 10 miles from where Disney World would eventually pop up. Their home sat right next to a community park with baseball fields and tennis courts.

That setup made it easy for young Clarence to spend hours working on his game. He practiced at those fields before and after school, squeezing in as much time as he could.

Coleman developed a shy, quiet side as a kid, mostly because he felt self-conscious about his stutter. It stuck with him for years, though it eased up a bit as he got older.

Because of that, he found it easier to show who he was through sports instead of words.

Origin of the Nickname ‘Choo-Choo’

Coleman picked up the nickname “Choo-Choo” in high school at Jones High in Orlando during the 1950s. His speed on the field reminded people of a speeding train.

The comparison made sense to his teammates and coaches. Coleman’s quickness on the bases was what set him apart.

That nickname stuck, and pretty soon, everyone in baseball circles knew him as “Choo-Choo” instead of Clarence. It really became his identity.

First Steps in Baseball

At Jones High, Coleman played baseball, basketball, and tennis. His niece, Linda Milhouse Hibbler, even said he might’ve been a better tennis player at first.

But baseball was always his real love. He mostly played catcher in high school, the same spot he’d play in the pros.

Local scouts and fans started to notice his athleticism and versatility. After finishing high school in 1955, Coleman signed his first pro contract with the Orlando C.B.s of the Florida State League.

That team was a Class-D affiliate of the Washington Senators, and a childhood friend already on the squad helped make the signing happen.

Negro Leagues and Minor League Career

Coleman’s road to the majors included time with the Indianapolis Clowns and years grinding it out in the minors. He played in the Negro Leagues during that era’s final days, and his minor league career had its ups and downs.

Indianapolis Clowns and the Negro Leagues

Coleman couldn’t get much playing time in the Senators’ farm system, so in 1956, he took a leap and joined the Indianapolis Clowns.

The Clowns were one of the last Negro League teams still around in the mid-1950s. By then, integration had pulled away a lot of the top talent.

Coleman joined the Clowns during this strange, in-between time for Negro League baseball. The team, run by Syd Pollock, was barnstorming instead of playing in a league.

He traveled all over the country with the Clowns, picking up experience against solid competition. Looking back, it was both the end of an era and a huge step in Coleman’s growth as a player.

Transition to Professional Baseball

In 1958, Coleman returned to organized ball, suiting up for the Orlando team in the Florida State League. He played 38 games in the outfield but did most of the catching for the Orlando Flyers.

The next year, Orlando became a Class-D affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. That 1959 season turned out to be a real turning point for him.

By June, Coleman led the league with 55 RBIs at the halfway mark. His bat cooled off a bit in the second half, but he still finished among the RBI leaders.

He also swiped 15 bases, which put him near the top of the league in steals. Defensively, he showed promise—he threw out a league-leading 74 assists as a catcher, though he also committed 18 errors.

Notable Minor League Achievements

In 1960, Coleman had his best minor league season, moving up through the Dodgers’ system. He started with the Macon Dodgers in Class A, then earned a promotion to the Triple-A Montreal Royals.

His bat wasn’t hot in Macon—he hit just .195 in 26 games—but Montreal manager Clay Bryant loved his defense, calling him “the best lowball catcher I’ve ever seen.”

Up in Montreal, Coleman hit .258 in 291 at-bats and stole 10 bases, which put him among the league leaders.

In 1961, he played for Spokane and really broke out. Coleman hit .288 with 13 home runs, 10 doubles, and 45 RBIs in only 73 games. He finally showed off the kind of power that would get him noticed by major league teams.

Major League Baseball Career

Choo-Choo Coleman played in the majors from 1961 to 1966. He started with the Philadelphia Phillies, then joined the New York Mets through the expansion draft.

He also had brief stints in the minors with the Washington Senators and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations.

Philadelphia Phillies Debut

Coleman debuted in the majors on April 16, 1961, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. He came in as a pinch-hitter for pitcher Chris Short, representing the tying run with the Phillies down 5-2.

In his first plate appearance, Sam Jones hit him with a pitch. That put Coleman on a short list of just 29 players to get hit by a pitch in their first big league at-bat.

Four days later, on April 20, he got his first official at-bat. He pinch-hit for Ruben Amaro with two strikes already on him, fouled off four pitches, and then grounded out to Joe Adcock at first base.

Coleman picked up his first major league hit on April 28 against the Cardinals, singling to right off Lindy McDaniel in the eighth. He also notched his first RBI and run scored in that same game.

Key 1961 Stats:

• Games: 41
• Batting Average: .250
• Home Runs: 2
• RBIs: 8

The Phillies didn’t give Coleman many starts. By mid-June, he had started only five games, while most of his appearances came as a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner.

Expansion Draft and Move to New York Mets

The Phillies left Coleman unprotected in the first National League expansion draft, and on October 10, 1961, the New York Mets grabbed him with the 28th pick.

During spring training, Coleman made a bit of history by hitting the first home run in Mets franchise history in a March 11, 1962, exhibition against the Cardinals.

Even with that highlight, he didn’t make the Mets’ Opening Day roster. The team sent him to Triple-A Syracuse, where injuries dragged his average down to .195 in 226 at-bats.

The Mets brought Coleman up on July 16, 1962, after Sammy Taylor broke his finger. In his first start, eleven days later, Coleman scored the only run in a 1-0 win over Bob Gibson and the Cardinals.

He hit his first big league home run as a pinch-hitter against Reds reliever Jim Brosnan—a two-run shot that capped a strong second half of 1962.

1962 Mets Stats:

• Games: 52
• Batting Average: .250
• Home Runs: 6
• RBIs: 17

Manager Casey Stengel liked Coleman’s “high potential” and leaned on him more as the Mets slogged through their infamous 120-loss season.

Role With Washington Senators and Los Angeles Dodgers

Coleman first signed with the Washington Senators in 1955, joining their Class-D affiliate, the Orlando C.B.s, right after high school.

A friend helped arrange the deal, but Coleman barely played—just 20 at-bats in 17 games that first season.

Frustrated, he left the Senators’ system halfway through 1956 and signed with the barnstorming Indianapolis Clowns, who’d just left the Negro American League.

In 1958, Coleman came back to pro baseball with the Orlando Flyers. By 1959, the team had become a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate, bringing Coleman into their minor league pipeline.

He stood out that year, leading the league with 55 RBIs by midseason and finishing near the top. His arm was a weapon, as he threw out 74 runners—a league-best for catchers.

1959 Orlando Highlights:

• 55 RBIs (mid-season league leader)
• 15 stolen bases
• 74 assists (most among catchers)
• All-Star selection

The Dodgers moved him to Class-A Macon in 1960, then bumped him up to Triple-A Montreal even though he hit just .195 in 26 games. Coaches throughout the system raved about his defense, especially his ability to handle low pitches.

Key Highlights With the New York Mets

The Mets picked Coleman 28th overall in the 1961 expansion draft. He played two main seasons for them, hitting six home runs in 1962 and serving as Casey Stengel’s backup catcher during the team’s first year.

1962 Inaugural Mets Season

Coleman joined the Mets as one of their original players, backing up Chris Cannizzaro during Casey Stengel’s first season at the helm.

The 1962 season was Coleman’s best year at the plate for the Mets. He caught 44 games, hit .250, and slugged six home runs with 17 RBIs.

August 1962 was a hot streak for him. He racked up 20 hits and five home runs, including a six-game hitting streak.

August Highlights:

• August 3-4: Homered in back-to-back games against Cincinnati
• August 15: Smashed a pinch-hit two-run homer on his 25th birthday
• August 24: Took Hall of Famer Don Drysdale deep

Coleman wrapped up the 1962 season with a .303 on-base percentage and a .744 OPS. He showed flashes of what could have been a bigger role.

Casey Stengel and Team Dynamics

Casey Stengel often praised Coleman’s defensive abilities behind the plate. The legendary manager liked how quickly Coleman chased down passed balls and stopped slow pitches.

In 1962, Coleman allowed just five passed balls in 44 games. That kind of steadiness made him a reliable backup catcher for Stengel’s squad.

The 1962 Mets shuffled through five different catchers over the course of the season. Along with Coleman and Cannizzaro, the roster included Sammy Taylor, Joe Pignatano, and Hobie Landrith.

Coleman had a habit of calling everyone “bub” because, apparently, he struggled to remember names. When Charlie Neal asked if Coleman knew his name, Coleman just said, “your number 4.”

His easygoing style and friendly personality made him a favorite with teammates and fans, even though the team had a rough time winning.

Memorable Moments and Contributions

Coleman’s most famous moment happened during a TV interview with broadcaster Ralph Kiner. When Kiner asked why people called him “Choo Choo,” Coleman simply said, “I don’t know bub.”

Kiner followed up about Coleman’s wife, and Coleman answered, “Her name is Mrs. Coleman and she likes me.” Coleman later denied ever saying this, but the quote stuck and became part of Mets lore.

On September 14, 1962, Coleman hit a walk-off home run off Cincinnati’s Johnny Klippstein in a 9-9 tie. That gave Polo Grounds fans a rare thrill that season.

In 1963, Coleman struggled at the plate. He played 106 games but managed only a .178 average with three home runs and nine RBIs.

Even with those hitting woes, Coleman threw out half the runners who tried to steal on him in 1963. He also turned nine double plays while serving as the team’s main catcher for 91 games.

Coleman’s last stint with the Mets came in 1966. He played six games and hit .188 before his major league career ended.

Statistical Overview and Legacy

Choo-Choo Coleman’s major league stats paint the picture of a journeyman catcher. His career was defined more by personality than production, honestly. With a .197 batting average and little offense, he ranked among the weaker hitters of his era, especially compared to other catchers in the early 1960s.

Career Statistics and Achievements

Coleman wrapped up his four-season MLB career with a .197 batting average over 201 games. He collected 91 hits in 462 at-bats, with 9 home runs and 30 RBIs.

His offensive struggles persisted with both the Phillies and the Mets. The 5’8″ catcher scored 51 runs in his career. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed, which made him effective at catching runners stealing.

Coleman’s best year came in 1962 with the Mets, appearing in 44 games as a catcher. His on-base and slugging percentages showed his limited offensive game. He struck out a lot and didn’t walk much, but his defense kept him on the roster.

Comparison With Catcher Contemporaries

Clay Dalrymple, a Phillies catcher from the same era, provides a pretty sharp contrast. Dalrymple hit well above .230 and brought much more to the table offensively. Most starting catchers in the early ’60s hit between .240 and .270.

Coleman’s .197 average sat near the bottom for catchers with similar playing time. Nine home runs over four seasons wasn’t much, especially when others hit double digits every year. Even backup catchers usually offered steadier offense.

That comparison really shows Coleman’s role as a defensive specialist. While others helped their teams with the bat, Coleman stood out for handling pitchers and his quickness on defense.

Retrosheet and Baseball-Reference Records

Modern databases like Retrosheet and Baseball-Reference track all the details of Coleman’s career. They show his debut on April 16, 1961, with the Phillies, when he got hit by a pitch his very first time up.

Looking at the stats, Coleman’s struggles at the plate were clear. He hit just .128 in 47 at-bats as a rookie with Philadelphia. After the Mets picked him in the 1961 expansion draft, he batted .205 in 415 at-bats over three seasons.

His last big league game happened on April 23, 1966, with the Mets. The records confirm his reputation as a light-hitting catcher who stuck around for his glove.

Impact on Team Performance

Coleman played on some tough teams. The 1961 Phillies finished dead last, and the expansion Mets soon took over that spot.

As backup catcher to Chris Cannizzaro on Casey Stengel’s 1962 Mets, he was part of one of the worst seasons in baseball history. The Mets won just 40 games that year, and Coleman caught 44 of them. His offensive struggles matched the team’s overall lack of talent in those years.

Weak hitting and shaky defense made the early Mets a famously bad team. Coleman’s limited offense meant he rarely delivered the clutch hits that losing teams needed. When he was in the lineup, it often felt like an automatic out, and that put more pressure on his teammates.

Retirement, Later Life, and Remembrance

After his last run with the Mets organization in 1969, Coleman quietly left pro baseball and went back to Florida. For almost fifty years, he lived out of the spotlight, running a business and enjoying life’s simpler things until cancer took him in 2016.

Life After Baseball

Coleman headed back to Florida after retiring from baseball in 1969. He more or less vanished from the baseball scene for decades, choosing a quiet life.

He ran a Chinese restaurant for 18 years, which gave him steady work and kept him close to his community.

Fishing became his favorite way to spend free time. “It’s a lot of fun just to go and relax,” he admitted in a rare 2012 interview.

Retirement gave him the freedom he wanted. He could fish whenever he felt like it, without worrying about baseball’s demands.

Family and Personal Endeavors

Coleman kept a low profile during his years in Florida. He continued to call nearly everyone “bub,” a habit that stuck with him for life.

The restaurant business became a big part of his later years. Running it for 18 years showed his entrepreneurial side after baseball.

Fishing was his main hobby in retirement. He found peace in it, the same way it had pulled him away from baseball for a couple of years in the late ’60s.

In 2012, at age 76, Coleman finally returned to New York after 46 years. He attended memorabilia shows and the Baseball Assistance Team Dinner at the Marriott Marquis.

Battling Cancer and Passing

In his later years, Coleman faced cancer. The disease eventually led to complications that ended his life.

Coleman died on August 15, 2016, at the Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He was 78.

August 15 had special meaning for Coleman. On that date in 1962, he hit a pinch-hit home run against the Phillies during the Mets’ first season.

Cancer complications were the official cause of death. He fought the disease before it finally took him.

Legacy and Memorials

Coleman’s legacy still stands out as part of the original 1962 New York Mets roster. He helped shape the team’s very first season, which definitely earned him a spot in franchise history.

His story really reflects what a lot of players went through during baseball’s integration era. Coleman ran into segregation and all sorts of challenges when he traveled through the South in his minor league days.

Find a Grave memorials keep his memory alive for anyone who wants to look back. Fans use these online tributes to celebrate what he brought to the game.

The New York Mets honored Coleman after he passed away. Since he played during the team’s founding season, his loss felt especially significant to the franchise.