Tony Gwynn will always be known as Mr.Padre, but not too far behind our hometown hero is Jerry Coleman.

“The Colonel” was a member of the Padres’ organization from 1972 through his unfortunate death in January 2014. His iconic voice will always be remembered in the hearts of Padres fans. No offense to Jesse Agler, but I still miss his voice when listening to a Padres game on the radio.

Coleman was an excellent member of the baseball community. He was a former Rookie of the Year for the New York Yankees in 1949. The following year, Coleman was named an all-star, and the team went on to win the World Series. He was named the World Series MVP that year and went on to win four World Series championships with the Yankees in six appearances. Jerry Coleman retired from the Yankees in 1957 with a career 263 average and 212 RBI.

He was a legend in the Bronx.

His accomplishments in baseball are plenty, but they are nothing compared to what Coleman did for his country.

East Village Times would like to show our respect for Jerry Coleman on this Memorial Day. “The Colonel” has the honor of being the ONLY major league player to have ever seen combat in two separate wars. Like Coleman, Ted Williams served in both the Korean War and World War II, but he did not see combat in World War II. I recently heard Ted Leitner proclaim that Jerry Coleman was his hero. He was his hero because Coleman led such a fulfilled life, but was never boastful about it.

Could you imagine being that decorated as a human being and being that humble? He was a rare breed.

Jerry Coleman flew 120 combat missions for the U.S. Marine Corps, including 57 missions in WWII and 63 missions in the Korean War. The man was active in both wars, not sitting behind a desk pushing papers around. Jerry Coleman was truly a hero to our country.

Coleman flew missions with the VMSB-Torrid Turtles in WWII and was a member of the VMA-323 Death Rattlers in the Korean War. He received two Distinguished Flying Crosses and was named to the USMC Hall of Fame. The man served our country with respect and was an American hero in every sense of the word.

In 1972, the Padres were looking for a lead radio announcer, and Coleman was immediately hired and held that position until his death.

Even at 89, his insight into the games and catch phrases was a joy to hear. He is widely recognized as one of the iconic announcers of the 1970s and 1980s. Coleman’s #1 catch phrase, “Oh Doctor,” is written in the press box of Petco Park, and his iconic catch phrase, “You can hang a star on that baby!”, is one of my personal favorites.

In 1980, the San Diego Padres named Jerry Coleman their manager. A 73-89 record and a sixth-place finish resulted in Coleman’s firing. He always joked about his tenure as the Padres’ manager. That’s the kind of man he was. He was always modest about his accomplishments in life, whether good or bad. He never took himself too seriously.

The man was truly an American hero; I can’t stop expressing that.

Jerry Coleman is greatly missed among Padres fans, and his commitment to the team was legendary. I had the pleasure of meeting Jerry Coleman many times, and he was always a pleasure to talk to. He had an aura about him that was kind of hard to describe. You could feel his greatness, but his humility always ruled over it. He never wanted to get any accolades for his accomplishments and simply said he was doing his job. He was as down-to-earth as they come.

On this Memorial Day, let’s think about the Veterans who served our country, especially those who never returned to their families.

The day is about being thankful for those who serve our country. Without the sacrifice of these men and women, nothing you see before you would be possible.

Jerry Coleman is our hero—a Padres legend. Never forget him.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.