Rip Coleman
Encyclopedia
Walter Gary "Rip" Coleman (July 31, 1931 — May 14, 2004) is a former left-handed Major League Baseball
pitcher who played from 1955 to 1957 and 1959 to 1960 for the New York Yankees
, Kansas City Athletics and Baltimore Orioles
.
A native of Troy, New York
he attended Syracuse University
and Wake Forest University
.
Before the 1952 season, Coleman was signed by the Yankees. He made his big league debut with them about three years later, on August 15, 1955. He went 2-1 in 10 games in his rookie season. In 29 innings of work, he allowed 40 hits and 17 earned runs for a 5.28 ERA. He also walked 16 batters and struck out only 15. He appeared in one game in the 1955 World Series
, giving up five hits in one inning of work.
He showed great improvement in 1956, lowering his ERA to 3.67. In 29 games (nine starts), he posted a 3-5 record with 42 walks and 42 strikeouts in 88 innings of work.
On February 19, 1957, Coleman was involved in a multi-player trade between the Yankees and Athletics. The Yankees sent Coleman, Milt Graff
, Billy Hunter
, Mickey McDermott
, Tom Morgan
and Irv Noren
to the Athletics for Art Ditmar
, Bobby Shantz
, Jack McMahan
and Wayne Belardi
. As players to be named later, the Yankees sent Jack Urban
to the Athletics and the Athletics sent Curt Roberts
and Clete Boyer
to the Yankees to complete the trade.
1957 was not a good season for Rip Coleman. Overall, he went 0-7 with a 5.93 ERA in 41 innings of work. He walked 25 batters, struck out 15 and allowed 53 hits. He did not appear in the majors in 1958.
In 1959, he found his way back into the majors but again did not perform well. Overall, in 32 games (11 starts), he went 2-10 with a 4.34 ERA in 85 innings of work. On September 6 of that year he was selected off waivers by the Orioles. With them, he allowed no runs in four innings of work.
1960 would end up being Coleman's final season in the majors. He went 0-2 with a 11.25 ERA in five games, which included one start. Although he started a game, he pitched in only four innings total that year, walking five batters and striking out none. In fact, in the game he started, he lasted only 1/3 of an innings. In that time, he allowed two earned runs.
Overall, Rip Coleman went 7-25 in his career. Of the 95 games he pitched, 33 of them were starts, three of those starts were complete games and one of those complete games was a shutout. In 247 innings, he saved five games, allowed 287 hits, 144 runs, 126 earned runs, 21 home runs and 124 walks. He struck out 130 batters and his ERA was 4.58. He was a poor hitter, collecting five hits in 69 at-bats for a .072 batting average.
After his death at age 72 in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
, he was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, New York.
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...
pitcher who played from 1955 to 1957 and 1959 to 1960 for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, Kansas City Athletics and Baltimore Orioles
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...
.
A native of Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
he attended Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
.
Before the 1952 season, Coleman was signed by the Yankees. He made his big league debut with them about three years later, on August 15, 1955. He went 2-1 in 10 games in his rookie season. In 29 innings of work, he allowed 40 hits and 17 earned runs for a 5.28 ERA. He also walked 16 batters and struck out only 15. He appeared in one game in the 1955 World Series
1955 World Series
The 1955 World Series matched the Brooklyn Dodgers against the New York Yankees, with the Dodgers winning the Series in seven games to capture their first championship in franchise history. It would be the only Series the Dodgers won in Brooklyn . The last time the Brooklyn franchise won a World...
, giving up five hits in one inning of work.
He showed great improvement in 1956, lowering his ERA to 3.67. In 29 games (nine starts), he posted a 3-5 record with 42 walks and 42 strikeouts in 88 innings of work.
On February 19, 1957, Coleman was involved in a multi-player trade between the Yankees and Athletics. The Yankees sent Coleman, Milt Graff
Milt Graff
Milton Edward Graff was a Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born on Tuesday, December 30, 1930 in Jefferson Center, Pennsylvania. He was listed at a height of 5'7" and a weight of 158 pounds. Graff attended Butler Senior High School and then attended Pennsylvania State University and...
, Billy Hunter
Billy Hunter (baseball)
Gordon William Hunter is a retired American shortstop, coach and manager in Major League Baseball.A slick-fielding, light-hitting shortstop from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the right-handed-batting Hunter was originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. With his path to the majors blocked by Pee Wee...
, Mickey McDermott
Mickey McDermott
Maurice Joseph "Mickey" McDermott Jr. was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Pre-professional career:...
, Tom Morgan
Tom Morgan (baseball)
Tom Stephen Morgan was a Major League Baseball pitcher. A native of El Monte, California, the 6'2", 195 lb. right-hander was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before the 1949 season...
and Irv Noren
Irv Noren
Irving Arnold Noren is a retired American professional baseball and basketball player. He played outfield in the Major Leagues from 1950-1960. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Senators, New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers...
to the Athletics for Art Ditmar
Art Ditmar
Arthur John Ditmar is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Athletics and the New York Yankees . He batted and threw right-handed.A finesse control pitcher, Ditmar divided his career between the Athletics and Yankees...
, Bobby Shantz
Bobby Shantz
Robert Clayton Shantz was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics , Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates , Houston Colt .45's , St...
, Jack McMahan
Jack McMahan
Jack Wally McMahan is a former right-handed batting, left-handed throwing Major League Baseball pitcher who played in 1956 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Athletics....
and Wayne Belardi
Wayne Belardi
Carroll Wayne Belardi played baseball at Bellarmine College Preparatory where he graduated in 1948. He then went on to play First Baseman in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Detroit Tigers. He played from 1950–56 and appeared in the 1953 World Series for the Dodgers.- External...
. As players to be named later, the Yankees sent Jack Urban
Jack Urban
Jack Elmer Urban is a former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1957 to 1959 for the Kansas City Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals....
to the Athletics and the Athletics sent Curt Roberts
Curt Roberts
Curtis Benjamin Roberts was a Major League Baseball second baseman. He was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before the 1951 season, and played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1954 to 1956. A native of Pineland, Texas, he stood 5'8" and weighed...
and Clete Boyer
Clete Boyer
Cletis Leroy "Clete" Boyer was a Major League Baseball player.A third baseman who also played shortstop and second base occasionally, Boyer played for the Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves...
to the Yankees to complete the trade.
1957 was not a good season for Rip Coleman. Overall, he went 0-7 with a 5.93 ERA in 41 innings of work. He walked 25 batters, struck out 15 and allowed 53 hits. He did not appear in the majors in 1958.
In 1959, he found his way back into the majors but again did not perform well. Overall, in 32 games (11 starts), he went 2-10 with a 4.34 ERA in 85 innings of work. On September 6 of that year he was selected off waivers by the Orioles. With them, he allowed no runs in four innings of work.
1960 would end up being Coleman's final season in the majors. He went 0-2 with a 11.25 ERA in five games, which included one start. Although he started a game, he pitched in only four innings total that year, walking five batters and striking out none. In fact, in the game he started, he lasted only 1/3 of an innings. In that time, he allowed two earned runs.
Overall, Rip Coleman went 7-25 in his career. Of the 95 games he pitched, 33 of them were starts, three of those starts were complete games and one of those complete games was a shutout. In 247 innings, he saved five games, allowed 287 hits, 144 runs, 126 earned runs, 21 home runs and 124 walks. He struck out 130 batters and his ERA was 4.58. He was a poor hitter, collecting five hits in 69 at-bats for a .072 batting average.
After his death at age 72 in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Wolfeboro is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,269 at the 2010 census. A venerable resort area situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro includes the village of Wolfeboro Falls...
, he was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, New York.