Vince Coleman (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vince Coleman |
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Coleman in 2016
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: September 22, 1961 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 18, 1985, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 14, 1997, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .264 | ||
| Home runs | 28 | ||
| Runs batted in | 346 | ||
| Stolen bases | 752 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Vincent Maurice Coleman (born September 22, 1961) is a former American Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He is best known for his time with the St. Louis Cardinals. Vince Coleman played as a left fielder from 1985 to 1997. He set many stolen base records during his career. He was a switch hitter, meaning he could bat from both sides of the plate. He threw the ball with his right hand.
After his playing career, Coleman worked as a baserunning consultant. He helped the Chicago White Sox in 2015. In 2017, the San Francisco Giants hired him. He worked as a coach for their minor-league players, teaching them baserunning and outfield skills.
Contents
Early Life and Sports Beginnings
Vince Coleman grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. He went to William M. Raines High School there. Later, he attended Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.
College Sports Achievements
At Florida A&M, Coleman was a star in both baseball and football. In 1981, he set a new record for stolen bases in a single season at Florida A&M. He stole seven bases in one game and 65 bases in the whole season. He led all NCAA Division I players that year in total steals. He also had the best stolen base percentage.
Coleman was also a kicker and punter for the Florida A&M Rattlers football team. His cousin, Greg Coleman, was also a punter at Florida A&M and played in the National Football League. Vince Coleman was part of the Rattlers team that won the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game. He was named to the all-conference team in 1980 and 1981. In 1979, he kicked a game-winning 34-yard field goal. This helped the Rattlers win against the Miami Hurricanes.
Choosing a Baseball Career
In 1982, Coleman signed with the Washington Redskins football team. But he left after one week because they wanted him to play as a wide receiver.
Coleman then decided to focus on baseball. The St. Louis Cardinals drafted him in the 10th round of the 1982 Major League Baseball draft. He quickly showed his amazing speed. In 1983, he stole 145 bases for the Macon Redbirds. This was even though he missed a month with a broken hand. In 1984, he stole 101 bases for the Louisville Redbirds. Soon after, he was called up to play in the major leagues.
Major League Baseball Career Highlights
Time with the St. Louis Cardinals
Vince Coleman made a huge impact in his first year, 1985. He stole 110 bases as a rookie. As of 2022, this is still one of the highest single-season stolen base totals in MLB history. He continued to steal over 100 bases in the next two seasons as well. This made him the only player in the 20th century to have three straight seasons with 100 or more steals. He was also the first player ever to steal 100 bases in his first three seasons.
By the end of his second year, Coleman had 217 stolen bases. This placed him second in Cardinals history, behind only Lou Brock. Coleman led the National League in stolen bases every year he played for the Cardinals (1985–1990). He is one of only four players to lead his league in stolen bases for six years in a row. The others are Rickey Henderson, Luis Aparicio, and Maury Wills.
Coleman, Henderson, Wills, and Brock are the only players to steal 100 bases in a season. Only Coleman and Henderson have achieved three different 100-steal seasons. And only Coleman did it in three years in a row.
Playoff Appearances and Awards
As the leadoff hitter for St. Louis, Coleman helped the team reach the 1985 playoffs. However, he got injured before Game 4 of the 1985 National League Championship Series. An automatic tarp at Busch Stadium rolled over his leg during warm-ups. This injury kept him out for the rest of the postseason. The Cardinals lost the 1985 World Series to the Kansas City Royals. After the season, Coleman was named the NL Rookie of the Year. He was the fourth player ever to be chosen unanimously for this award.
In 1987, Coleman had his best season. He hit for a .289 batting average. He also had a .363 on-base percentage. He collected 180 hits, stole 109 bases, and scored 121 runs. That year, he stole second and third base in the same inning 13 times.
Coleman played in the 1987 World Series, his only World Series appearance. He batted .143 and reached base six times. He also stole six bases without being caught. In the outfield, he made two important throws to home plate for outs in Game 7. He was the first outfielder to throw out two runners at the plate in one World Series game. The Cardinals lost the Series to the Minnesota Twins.
In 1989, Coleman had a streak of 50 successful stolen bases without being caught. This streak ended on July 28. In June 1990, he recorded his 500th stolen base. He reached this milestone in just his 804th game, which was the fewest games needed by any player to reach 500 steals. As of the end of the 2024 MLB season, he is the last player to steal 100 bases in a single season.
Moving to the New York Mets
After the 1990 season, Coleman signed a big contract with the New York Mets. However, his career began to decline. He missed many games due to injuries. He also faced challenges getting along with coaches and teammates. In September 1992, he was suspended for the rest of the season.
In April 1993, an unfortunate incident occurred where Coleman accidentally injured teammate Dwight Gooden's arm. Later that year, Coleman was involved in an incident where he threw a lit firecracker. This caused minor injuries to three children. He was sentenced to community service for this. The Mets suspended him and later announced he would not return in 1994.
Later Career and Retirement
The Mets traded Coleman to the Kansas City Royals. He stole 76 bases in 179 games as a Royal. He was then traded to the Seattle Mariners in 1995. In 1996, he played for the Cincinnati Reds, who later released him. He signed with the California Angels but did not play for them. Coleman's final season in the major leagues was in 1997 with the Detroit Tigers. He had limited playing time and less success.
Coleman tried to make a comeback with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998. He played well in spring training. He was assigned to the AAA Memphis Redbirds. He continued to play well there, stealing eight bases and hitting .316. However, he decided to retire in May 1998 when he was not called up to the Cardinals.
As of the 2021 MLB season, Vince Coleman ranks sixth all-time in career stolen bases in the major leagues, with 752. He also ranks 52nd all-time in career stolen base percentage among players with 80 or more attempts, at 80.9%.
Coaching Roles
After his playing career, Vince Coleman shared his knowledge of baserunning.
- In 2015, the Chicago White Sox added him to their staff as a base-running instructor.
- In 2017, the San Francisco Giants hired him. He worked as a coach for their minor-league teams, focusing on baserunning and outfield play.
Career Accomplishments
- Sixth all-time in Major League Baseball for career stolen bases (752).
- Won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1985.
- Holds the record for most stolen bases in a season by a rookie, with 110 in 1985.
- Has three of the top six stolen base seasons in MLB history: 110 in 1985, 109 in 1987, and 107 in 1986. These three seasons were consecutive.
- He is the only player ever to steal 100 or more bases in three consecutive seasons (1985, 1986, and 1987).
- He was the last player to steal 100 bases in a season, achieving it in 1987.
- Selected as an All-Star two times (1988–1989).
- Led Major League Baseball in stolen bases four times (1985–1987, 1990).
- Led the National League in stolen bases for six consecutive years (1985–1990).
- Holds an MLB record with 50 consecutive stolen bases without being caught (from September 18, 1988, to July 26, 1989).
See also
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base records
- List of Major League Baseball individual streaks
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- Major League Baseball titles leaders
- List of St. Louis Cardinals team records
