Jack Coffey
From BR Bullpen
John Francis Coffey
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 178 lb.
- School Fordham University
- Debut June 23, 1909
- Final Game September 2, 1918
- Born January 28, 1887 in New York, NY USA
- Died February 14, 1966 in Bronx, NY USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Jack Coffey is the only player in baseball history to play with Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb in the same season (1918), when he was purchased by the Red Sox from the Tigers. Coffey was the long-time baseball coach (1909-1917, 1919-1921, 1923-1943, 1945-1958) and graduate manager of athletics (1926-1958) at his alma mater, Fordham University. Hank Borowy was one of his top players at Fordham.
Jack had only two seasons in the majors (1909 and 1918), but had a long minor league career. Among other stops, he played five years for Denver and another five years for Des Moines. He also managed 10 seasons in the minors.
When he was player-manager for Denver in 1914, he hit .330, while another former big leaguer who was also 27 years old, Hank Butcher, hit .336. He resigned as manager of Denver late in the 1915 season after a disagreement with the owner (with litigation resulting), and in the summer of 1916 while playing for the San Francisco Seals he was beaned.
It was news in 1909 when two graduates from the same college played on the same major league team. Coffey and Dave Shean, both from Fordham, were both playing for Boston and Sporting Life of July 31 remarked that they were the only two known.
Sporting Life on April 9, 1910 reported on a different Jack Coffey, an amateur pitcher, who was reporting to Holyoke for a trial.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- Played for the World Champion Boston Red Sox in 1918 (he did not play in the World Series)
