Slick Coffman

George David Coffman

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 155 lb.

• Debut May 21, 1937
• Final Game September 17, 1940
• Born December 11, 1910 in Veto, AL USA
• Died May 8, 2003 in Birmingham, AL USA

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Biographical Information

"Coming from a southern family that has already produced one big league pitcher, Coffman has a thorough knowledge of his position. His blazing fast ball is his biggest threat and it has enabled him to strike out 161 batters this year while walking 82. While his control isn't as good as Twardy's, it is good enough considering he is a fast ball pitcher." - Charleston Daily Mail, October 8, 1935

Brother of Dick Coffman, Slick Coffman pitched four seasons in the majors. Dick spent most of his career with the St. Louis Browns, and while Slick was with the 1940 iteration, Dick was in the New York Giants' bullpen that year. Slick's best year was his rookie year, 1937, with the Detroit Tigers. He finished 7-5 with a 4.37 ERA out of the bullpen on a team that went 89-65 and featured four Hall of Famers: Hank Greenberg, Mickey Cochrane, Charlie Gehringer, and Goose Goslin. In his debut, May 21st, he outdueled a Hall of Famer, Lefty Grove, for a 4-2, 11-inning victory. But in every other big league season he pitched, Slick's ERA exceeded 6.00.

Although Dick had a much longer major league career, Slick outlived him by over 30 years. Both brothers were born, and died, in Alabama.