Matt picks #250, The Colonel Jerry Coleman

The Manager: Jerry Coleman (1980)

The Card: 1980 Topps #356

How I obtained the auto: I sent it to Mr. Coleman c/o of the Padres and he signed it and returned it.

About the manager: Coleman was a broadcaster for the Padres before and after his one year managerial stint, he was 73-89, for a sixth place finish.  That one year was his only ever as a manager in the major leagues.  Jerry Coleman played 9 years in the major leagues, all for the Yankees.  He finished his major league career in 1957, just 16 days after I was born.  He flew combat missions for the USMC in both WWII and the Korean War.  He was inducted into the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame, one of several Hall of Fames he is in.  He was a radio broadcaster for the Padres from 1972-2014, he had been a broadcaster for the Yankees and Angels before joining the Padres.  He passed away in 2014 and is buried at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego.  That is a career you can hang a star on!

Between: Dusty Coleman and Larry Colton

Up Next: Jeremy picks #55, Carlos Baerga

Contest:  Each month I will pick a player to be the prize winner. If that players padrograph number is picked the person who picked the number will win an $20 eBay gift certificate.  

Please pick numbers between 2 and 1385.  The more numbers you select the better your odds are.  No batches please just individual numbers.  No one has picked the correct number yet.