In Memoriam: Local Baseball Figures We Lost in '25

Joe Coleman: A part of the only three-generation pitching family in MLB history, Coleman was the son of a one-time All-Star (also named Joe) and father of Chicago Cubs right-hander Casey. Originally selected by the Washington Senators in the first round of the 1965 draft, Coleman debuted as an 18-year-old that same year and would spend a total of six seasons in the nation’s capital.

The right-hander signed with Detroit in 1971 and was stalwart in the Tigers rotation over the next half-decade, winning double-digit games in five consecutive seasons and earning his lone All-Star appearance with a 19-14 record and 2.80 ERA in 1972.

Coleman remained in the big leagues through the 1979 season, finishing his 15-year MLB career with 142 wins, 94 CG, 1,728 strikeouts, and a 3.70 ERA. He spent the next three years with the Spokane Indians as a pitcher/coach in the Pacific Coast League before transitioning to coaching full time at both the MLB and MiLB levels until 2014.

Brian Dayett: A native of New London, Connecticut, Dayett starred at Valley Regional High School before playing collegiately at St. Leo University in Florida. He was selected in the 16^th round of the 1978 draft by the New York Yankees and reached the big leagues for the first time in 1983 after back-to-back stellar seasons at Double-A Nashville (.280, 34 HR, 96) and Triple-A Columbus (.288, 35 HR, 108 RBI). Dayett continued to receive sporadic MLB playing time over the next four seasons with the Yankees and Cubs, highlighted by his 1987 season in Chicago (.277/.348/.452, 14 2B, 5 HR, 25 RBI in 177 at-bats).

That proved to be his final taste of big league action, as Dayett signed a four-year contract with Japan’s Nippon Ham Fighters before the 1988 season. Although injuries hampered his play, the outfielder still managed to hit .268 with 21 home runs and 66 RBI across parts of four seasons in the Japan Pacific League. ‘Bama’ retired following the 1991 season and soon embarked on a lengthy minor league coaching career that included a two-year stint (2010-11) as Spokane’s bench coach.

Nate Oliver: The son of Negro League player Jim Oliver, Sr. “Pee Wee” signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1959 following a standout high school career at Gibbs High School (St. Petersburg, FL). Oliver reached Spokane for the first time in 1961, hit .317 with the Indians the following season, and made his big-league debut with the Dodgers in 1963. The infielder bounced back and forth between Los Angeles and Spokane over the next four years, appearing in a total 490 games with the Indians – the 11^th-most in franchise history.

Oliver continued to play professionally through the 1971 season before a long career as a minor league manager and coach. A talented singer, Oliver was often called upon to sing the national anthem, including before a Dodgers Old-Timers game in 1990 when he stepped up to pinch-hit, uh sing, for Ella Fitzgerald.

Tommie Reynolds: A talented football and baseball player at Abraham Lincoln High School (San Diego, CA), Reynolds received a football scholarship from SDSU but chose to attend San Diego Junior College before volunteering to join the U.S. Army. He served in the Army for two years before signing with the Kansas City Athletics, and won a batting title in his first professional season after hitting .332 for the Burlington Bees in 1963. Reynolds received a cup of coffee with the Athletics that year and would go on to spent part of eight seasons in the big leagues with Kansas City, New York (NL), Oakland, California, and Milwaukee.

The outfielder spent his final three years in professional baseball (1976-78) with the Spokane Indians, highlighted by a 1977 campaign that saw him slash .303/.370/.515 with 45 doubles, 20 home runs, and 107 RBI. After his playing career, Reynolds transitioning to coaching and became the first Black manager in California League history with the Modesto A’s in 1986.

Ryne Sandberg: Born and raised in Spokane, Sandberg was a three-sport star at North Central High School with D1 offers to play both baseball and football. Sandberg ultimately chose baseball after being selected in the 20^th round of the 1978 draft by Philadelphia and would reach the big leagues with the Phillies three years later. He received just six at-bat with the Phils before being traded to the Chicago Cubs the following season, where the young infielder would emerge as one of the game’s best all-around players.

Sandberg finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 1982 and followed that up with the first of nine-consecutive Gold Glove Awards the next season. He took it to another level in 1984, winning NL MVP after leading the league in runs, triples, and WAR while leading the Cubs to their first postseason appearance since 1945. The 1984 season also marked the first of 10 consecutive All-Star appearances for Sandberg, whose blend of power, defense, and base running was unmatched among second baseman. He retired following the 1997 season with a .285 average, 282 home runs, 1,061 RBI, 344 stolen bases, and 2,386 hits, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005.

Bart Shirley: A native of Corpus Christi, TX, Shirley was two-sport star in baseball and football in high school and continued to play both sports collegiately while attending the University of Texas. Shirley signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961, reached Spokane in 1963, and received his first big league call-up by the Dodgers the following season. Shirley would receive limited MLB playing time in parts of three seasons with Los Angeles (1964, 1966, and 1968) and one with the New York Mets (1967), receiving just 162 at-bats at the big league level in 75 career games.

The infielder's best season with the Indians came in 1969, when he slashed .302/.371/.389 with 27 doubles and 54 RBI in 128 games. Shirley recorded a career-high .401 OBP in 139 games with Spokane in 1970—his final MiLB season—as the Indians rolled to a Pacific Coast League championship. He played for two more years in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons, tallying a career-best 12 home runs in his last season as a professional player (1972).

ABOUT THE SPOKANE INDIANS

The Spokane Indians are the High-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies located in Spokane Valley, Wash. The Indians have played at Avista Stadium, home to the MultiCare Kids Bench Seat, since 1958 and have been a proud member of the Spokane community since 1903. Parking at all Spokane Indians games is FREE. The Spokane Indians Front Office and Team Store are open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.