Jerry Coleman has received many awards as a baseball player and baseball announcer. Playing second base for the Yankees, he was the MVP of the 1950 World Series in a sweep of the Phillies after making the American League All-Star team that summer. Jerry began announcing sports in 1960, has been a Padres broadcaster since 1972, and earned his way into the Baseball Hall of Fame broadcasters wing in 2005. He even left the booth for one year to manage San Diego in 1980.
During this Memorial Day week, as Real Sports Heroes remembers the sacrifices of millions of American military personnel, our friend Jerry Coleman is the epitome or ideal example of what athletes have done in defending our great nation. He is the only major league baseball player to have seen active combat in two wars---World War II and Korea. Jerry served three years in World War II at Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, and the Philippines, and two years in Korea.
Coleman is now 85. Listen to his vignette on this website and hear him express his appreciation for what he was taught in the U. S. Marine Corps.
Jerry flew more than 120 combat missions, and on one in Korea, he landed his Corsair with a full bomb load, the plane flipped over, and the "Colonel" was nearly strangled by his helmet straps. He was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 13 air medals, and three Navy citations as a Marine aviator.
There are too many wartime stories involving sports stars to relate them all, but here are a few:
CHRISTY MATHEWSON enlisted in the Army in 1918 for World War I at the age of 38. Served in Chemical Services, was accidentally gassed in France, developed tuberculosis, never fully recovered and died at 45. His 373 pitching wins made him one of five players in the first Baseball Hall of Fame class.
An estimated 800 college and pro athletes were killed during World War II, including 1939 Heisman Trophy winner Niles Kinnick of Iowa and Charley Paddock, known as the world's fastest human and a member of three Olympic track teams with the world record in the 100.
Of 638 NFL players who served in World War II, 66 were decorated, and 21 lost their lives. More than 500 major league baseball players served during the same war, including 29 who would eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame.
HANK BAUER was a Marine platoon sergeant who was wounded on Guam and Okinawa. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for heroism in both campaigns, then later played the outfield on great Yankee teams.
GIL HODGES was in the South Pacific for 18 months, received the Bronze Star, and returned stateside to play first base for the Dodgers. Gil has received the most votes of any player not yet in the Hall of Fame.
BOB FELLER volunteered for the Navy two days after Pearl Harbor, was an anti-aircraft gunner on the battleship Alabama, which fought at Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and in the Marshall Islands. He got five campaign ribbons, eight battle stars, lost four years of his career, and still pitched three no-hitters and 12 one-hiiters in an 18-season Hall of Fame career with the Indians.
HOYT WILHEM earned a Purple Heart in the Battle of the Bulge, came home, developed a knuckleball, appeared in over 1,000 games, and was the first closer elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
BARNEY ROSS was a three-time world boxing champ whose last fight was in 1938. He joined the Marines, and was on Guadalcanal one night when he and three others were trapped under enemy fire. All four were wounded, and two died. Ross shot 400 bullets, threw 23 grenades, and killed 20 Japanese soldiers. Only 140 pounds, he carried his 230-pound buddy on his shoulder to safety, and was awarded the third highest military honor---the Silver Star.
TED WILLIAMS lost five years of his baseball career when he served as a flight instructor in World War II and flew 39 combat missions in Korea after not flying for eight years. Several two-plane missions were with John Glenn, the first U. S. astronaut to orbit the earth. They would fly side by side, each in control of his Panther jet. Glenn said of Williams, "He was just great....an excellent combat pilot." Ted was one of five Hall of Famers who went to the Korean war.
On February 17, 1953, Williams had to land a flak-damaged F9 aircraft. Unable to reduce his air speed, he landed it on its belly going 225 miles per hour, was out of control for over a mile, and stopped at the very end of the field. Ted popped the canopy, and except for the cockpit, the plane was aflame. Williams dove headfirst to the tarmac and was pulled away by two marines. The plane was completely destroyed. He was awarded the Air Medal with two Gold Stars for meritorious achievement.
LLOYD MERRIMAN played three seasons in the outfield for the Reds, went to the Korean War, flew 87 combat missions, had his plane hit by enemy fire on one flight, and had to make a crash landing at a greater speed than normal, plowing through four rice fields before stopping. Merriman returned to baseball for two more years and was out of the game.
Of those athletes who served in Viet Nam......
DON HOLLEDER was an All-America football end at West Point in 1954. He turned down the NFL Giants, stayed in the Army, rose to Major, and requested to be sent to Viet Nam. In 1967, Don battled sniper fire to land his helicopter in a clearing, and attempted to rescue a group of his fellow soldiers who had been ambushed. Holleder was killed while leading the evacuation.
ROCKY BLEIER was a running back at Notre Dame and was drafted by the Steelers. But then Uncle Sam called, and he became an infantryman in the Army. Bleier suffered crippling wounds in both legs when hit by enemy rifle fire and grenade fragments during an ambush. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Rocky could barely walk for two agonizing years, then went on to an outstanding 12-year pro career, a thousand yard rusher, and contributed to four Super Bowl championships in Pittsburgh.
BOB KALSU was an All-America tackle at Oklahoma and became the Bills' top rookie in 1968. After the season he entered the Army to satisfy his ROTC obligations. Bob arrived in Viet Nam as a first lieutenant in November 1969 and was killed in action in July 1970.
AL BUMBRY of the Orioles led an infantry platoon in Nam and was able to say that all of his men survived the fighting.
And, most recently.......
PAT TILLMAN relinquished a $3.6 million contract as a safety for the NFL Arizona Cardinals to join the Army in 2002. He wanted to be a Ranger with his brother Kevin, who gave up a baseball career. In 2004, Pat was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. An autopsy showed that Tillman was struck in the forehead by three bullets shot from a U. S. Navy rifle from 100 yards away.
No one has been drafted in this country since 1972 so times have changed, and military requirements are not the same. But, never let us forget who the real heroes are.
Ross Porter
During this Memorial Day week, as Real Sports Heroes remembers the sacrifices of millions of American military personnel, our friend Jerry Coleman is the epitome or ideal example of what athletes have done in defending our great nation. He is the only major league baseball player to have seen active combat in two wars---World War II and Korea. Jerry served three years in World War II at Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, and the Philippines, and two years in Korea.
Coleman is now 85. Listen to his vignette on this website and hear him express his appreciation for what he was taught in the U. S. Marine Corps.
Jerry flew more than 120 combat missions, and on one in Korea, he landed his Corsair with a full bomb load, the plane flipped over, and the "Colonel" was nearly strangled by his helmet straps. He was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 13 air medals, and three Navy citations as a Marine aviator.
There are too many wartime stories involving sports stars to relate them all, but here are a few:
CHRISTY MATHEWSON enlisted in the Army in 1918 for World War I at the age of 38. Served in Chemical Services, was accidentally gassed in France, developed tuberculosis, never fully recovered and died at 45. His 373 pitching wins made him one of five players in the first Baseball Hall of Fame class.
An estimated 800 college and pro athletes were killed during World War II, including 1939 Heisman Trophy winner Niles Kinnick of Iowa and Charley Paddock, known as the world's fastest human and a member of three Olympic track teams with the world record in the 100.
Of 638 NFL players who served in World War II, 66 were decorated, and 21 lost their lives. More than 500 major league baseball players served during the same war, including 29 who would eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame.
HANK BAUER was a Marine platoon sergeant who was wounded on Guam and Okinawa. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for heroism in both campaigns, then later played the outfield on great Yankee teams.
GIL HODGES was in the South Pacific for 18 months, received the Bronze Star, and returned stateside to play first base for the Dodgers. Gil has received the most votes of any player not yet in the Hall of Fame.
BOB FELLER volunteered for the Navy two days after Pearl Harbor, was an anti-aircraft gunner on the battleship Alabama, which fought at Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and in the Marshall Islands. He got five campaign ribbons, eight battle stars, lost four years of his career, and still pitched three no-hitters and 12 one-hiiters in an 18-season Hall of Fame career with the Indians.
HOYT WILHEM earned a Purple Heart in the Battle of the Bulge, came home, developed a knuckleball, appeared in over 1,000 games, and was the first closer elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
BARNEY ROSS was a three-time world boxing champ whose last fight was in 1938. He joined the Marines, and was on Guadalcanal one night when he and three others were trapped under enemy fire. All four were wounded, and two died. Ross shot 400 bullets, threw 23 grenades, and killed 20 Japanese soldiers. Only 140 pounds, he carried his 230-pound buddy on his shoulder to safety, and was awarded the third highest military honor---the Silver Star.
TED WILLIAMS lost five years of his baseball career when he served as a flight instructor in World War II and flew 39 combat missions in Korea after not flying for eight years. Several two-plane missions were with John Glenn, the first U. S. astronaut to orbit the earth. They would fly side by side, each in control of his Panther jet. Glenn said of Williams, "He was just great....an excellent combat pilot." Ted was one of five Hall of Famers who went to the Korean war.
PAT TILLMAN relinquished a $3.6 million contract as a safety for the NFL Arizona Cardinals to join the Army in 2002. He wanted to be a Ranger with his brother Kevin, who gave up a baseball career. In 2004, Pat was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. An autopsy showed that Tillman was struck in the forehead by three bullets shot from a U. S. Navy rifle from 100 yards away.
No one has been drafted in this country since 1972 so times have changed, and military requirements are not the same. But, never let us forget who the real heroes are.
Ross Porter
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