He's Known Almost All the Legends

It's always a treat to speak with Jerry Coleman at Old Timers Day. The Yankees second baseman from 1949 through '57 (with time away for service in the Korean War), he remains active in baseball calling "20 or 30 games a year" for the Padres. Bring up his time as a Yankee, not only did he play alongside Mantle, DiMaggio, Rizzuto, Berra and Ford, but having started in the Yankee farm system in the mid 1940s, he met Babe Ruth several times at Spring Training when the Bambino stopped by to visit his old team!! The only iconic Yankee player he never met was Lou Gehrig, who died when Coleman was still in high school.
And for a humorous touch, he'll remind you that he roomed with Mickey Mantle for two years, "I taught him everything he knew and he never forgave me for it!

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