Clarence “Pinnie” Coleman was one of the many outstanding athletes for the Tigers in the mid 1920’s. He excelled in football, basketball and baseball.
Baseball was his best sport. He was a catcher for nearly all of his career from high school until at least 1942. He was an All-City catcher for the city champion Tigers and the Summer League team sponsored by the Third Street Baptist Church.
In 1926 they were Southwestern Ohio District champs. In 1927 they were again Summer League champs and represented Dayton in the National Class A Tournament in Detroit.
Pinnie signed a Semi-Pro contract in 1930 with the Dayton Aviators in the Boston Red Sox organization. He never made their major league roster but caught several pitchers that did, like Walter Edward “Big Ed” Morris, a candidate for American League MVP in 1928.
Clarence played in the local Class A League until at least 1942. He was with Hales Liberty Markets in 1932 and was with the Delco “Old Timers” in 1940, ’41 and ’42 in the DIAA League.
Pinnie was a guard on the 1926-27 Stivers basketball team that won 18, lost 2 and was the City of Dayton League champs. He was named to the All-City first team along with Stivers Hall-of-Famers; Dick Burrows and “Red” Jones. The other two starters, “Fuzzy Evans” and Bob McConnell was named to the All-City second team.
Clarence was an end on the 1926 Tiger football team that went undefeated, 11-0, and won the City of Dayton championship.
Stivers Hall of Famer and City of Dayton champ, Scotty Reston, talked Clarence into playing a round of golf at the Community G.C. Hills Course. He shot a 45 on his first nine holes ever played. Clarence “Pinnie” Coleman should not be confused with Clarence “Cho Cho” Coleman, a catcher for the Phillies and Mets in the 1960’s.
Coleman died at the early age of 47 in 1955 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery.