Fifty years later, out of all of the members of the inaugural 1962 New York Mets team, the details about the life and career of catcher Clarence “Choo Choo” Coleman have remained mysterious, as he disappeared from the public spotlight after leaving baseball.
The 76-year-old Coleman returned to New York for the first time in 45 years for a series of appearances at various memorabilia shows this weekend and Tuesday’s Baseball Assistance Team Dinner at the Marriott Marquis.
The usually reserved former catcher invited me to meet with him Friday evening after arriving in New York to illuminate the career of one of the most beloved members of the 1962 Mets.
How did he get the nickname “Choo Choo?” It was something he had long before professional baseball.
“Growing up in Orlando, I was small and fast, like a choo-choo train, and so it went,” he said.
Coleman cut his teeth in professional baseball during the 1955 season, signing with the Washington Senators Class D affiliate in his hometown of Orlando, Fla.
“A friend of mine played for them. He told me about it. I talked to the people, tried out and made the team,” said Coleman.
Playing professional baseball in the segregated South, Coleman encountered his share of obstacles while traveling.
“At that time it was hard. People were different [then]. I don’t know about now, it’s a whole lot different. We lived in different places [from the team]. We lived in private homes; we couldn’t live in the hotels back then,” he said.
After two stints with the Orlando team, Coleman was picked up by Syd Pollock’s Indianapolis Clowns halfway through the 1956 season. By that time, Coleman asserts, the Clowns had moved on from their Negro League affiliation to that of a traveling ballclub.
“We weren’t in the Negro Leagues. We played all over,” said Coleman. His travels with the Clowns took him to far reaching parts of the country such as North Dakota. “I played two years. We played almost every day. We went everywhere; it was a lot of fun.”
Coleman discussed some of the antics that made the Clowns popular at that time.
“We’d have the Clowns run down on to the field, hitting people in the crowd in the head, stuff like that,” he said.
By 1958, Coleman returned to Orlando and spent two more seasons there, waiting for an opportunity to climb baseball’s proverbial ladder. This chance came in 1960 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“I went to Vero Beach and made the A ball club in Macon. I played there a month or two and then I went to Montreal (AAA),” he said.
The Phillies liked Coleman’s performance in Montreal enough to draft him from the Dodgers and place him on their opening day roster in 1961.
“I went to the Phillies first, and then they sent me to Spokane, Washington. … I didn’t play too much,” said Coleman.
His hot bat in spring training was not enough to force manager Gene Mauch’s hand.
“I went to spring training, hit about .280 but they never played me. They played Clay Dalrymple; he hit about .215 and played about every night. [Mauch] knew his baseball, but I don’t think he liked me.”
Coleman suspicions about Mauch were confirmed when he was put in to pinch-hit for Ruben Amaro with two strikes in what was only his second plate appearance in the majors.
“There was a man on first base. Ruben Amaro was supposed to lay the ball down, put him over. He never did. He did it two times and fouled the ball off. I’m on the bench all night and he called me to come take his place with two strikes. My first time in the major leagues [and I pinch-hit] with two strikes!” exclaimed Coleman. “I fouled four balls off and I hit in to the double play that night in Philly. I always remembered that. That’s tough man!” (Note - It was Coleman’s second career plate appearance and he grounded out to first to end the inning.)
The Phillies left Coleman unprotected in the expansion draft and he was signed by the New York Mets for the 1962 season.
“I never knew at that time that I’d be there on the first [team]. I made the team and I was happy to be there,” said Coleman. “I did my best. I hit over .250 my first year. I stayed hurt a lot. My shoulder was out of place, nose fractured, fractured my fingers (displaying multiple broken fingers on his right hand). It’s different now. They play now with one hand behind the back, I didn’t do that, I caught with two hands.”
Despite his small size, Coleman remained fearless behind the plate. “It didn’t make no difference … I weighed 155! I was the smallest one. All of the fellas were over 200. I wasn’t afraid.”
When asked about the legendary Mets manager Casey Stengel, Coleman recalls very limited interactions between them.
“I didn’t talk to him too much. Most of the time, he’d be on the bench asleep,” he said.
Coleman played for the Mets their first two seasons and made a return appearance in 1966 for six games. Reflecting on his time in New York, Coleman enjoyed his time here and its demanding fan base.
“It was nice to play here. In order to play here in New York, you had to be good, you can’t be bad or slow, you always had to do your best.”
He had one last hurrah with the Mets organization in 1969 after leaving baseball for two years completely; however, he could not make it back to the majors to be a part of the World Series championship team.
“I took off two years. I stayed home to go fishing at the time. I came back two years later after I wrote them a letter and told them I wanted to start back. They sent me to Tidewater. I been out two years, but I still made the team!”
Returning to New York after such a long time, Coleman looks forward to being able to see teammates such as Al Jackson and Frank Thomas, as well as Willie Mays, whom he regards as the best player he’s ever seen.
He will also see Citi Field for the first time, a sight he’d rather have as a player than a spectator. “If I was playing, I’d be more excited to see it … it would be a lot different,” he said.
After baseball, he returned to Florida and later owned a Chinese restaurant for 18 years. Now in retirement, the humble Coleman enjoys the opportunity to go fishing whenever he can.
“It’s a lot of fun just to go and relax.”
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