February 3
1942 At a special meeting to discuss wartime regulations, MLB owners decide to allow 14 night games for each club, with Washington allowed 21 due to the large number of government workers that inhabit Washington. Two All-Star Games will be played, one with a military All-Star team. Curfews are set for night games with no inning to start after 12:50 A.M.
Senators Birthdays
Joseph Howard Coleman B Feb. 3, 1947 Still Living
Joe Coleman
Drafted by the Washington Senators in June of 1965, pitcher Joe Coleman would make it to the majors by the end of the season. He’d pitch 2 complete games in his first 2 appearances, getting the win in both, giving up 9 hits and just 3 runs, good for a 1.50 ERA.
Coleman would make just 1 appearance in 1966 but the would be another complete game win.
Finally up with the Senators as a full-time player in 1967, Coleman would go 8-9 in 28 games. He’d remain with the Senators through 1970, winning 12 games in both 1968 and 1969, with identical 3.27 ERAs.
Traded to the Detroit Tigers, along with Ed Brinkman, Jim Hannan and Aurelio Rodriguez in that disastrous trade for Elliott Maddox, Denny McLain, Norm McRae and Don Wert, Coleman would have the first 20 win season of career with the Tigers in 1971. He’d win 19 in 1972 and have a career best 23 wins in 1973. Coleman would make his only post-season appearance in 1972 as the Tiger would lose to the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS.
Coleman would remain with the Tigers through early June of 1976 when he was purchased by the Chicago Cubs. He’d be traded to the Oakland Athletics for the 1977 season and would be purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays in May of 1978.
Becoming a free agent after the 1978 season, Coleman would sign on with the San Francisco Giants where he’d start the 1979 season but would be released after 5 games. He’d be picked up by the Pittsburgh Pirates where he’d pitch in 10 last games, his major league career coming to a close in September.
Harry Wayne Comer B Feb. 3, 1944 Still Living
Wayne Comer’s 5 year journey through the major leagues would find him starting and ending in Detroit.
Originally signed by the Washington Senators before the 1962 season, Comer would be traded to the Detroit Tigers for Bobo Osborne. It wouldn’t be until September of 1967 that Comer would finally make his major league debut, playing in 4 games for the Tigers at the end of the season.
Comer would play in 48 games for the Tigers in 1968, primarily as an outfielder. He’d hit a paltry .125 but would make an appearance in the 1968 World Series as the Tigers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals.
Drafted by the Seattle Pilots, Comer would have the most active season of his career in 1969, playing in 147 games for the Pilots and hitting a career high .245.
Comer would head east with the franchise after the 1969 season as they were reborn in 1970 as the Milwaukee Brewers. After 13 games as a Brewer, Comer was on the move again, this time traded back to the organization where it began, the Washington Senators, for Hank Allen and Ron Theobald. Comer would play in 77 games for the Senators hitting .233.
Purchased by the Detroit Tigers after the season, Comer would be out of the majors in 1971 but would return for 27 games with the Tigers in 1972, his last major league appearance coming in early August.
