Coleman, Frank

FRANK COLEMAN WAS KNOWN IN FRANKFORT AND THROUGHOUT KENTUCKY FOR HIS NATURAL ATHLETIC ABILITY. HE WAS TABBED BY TEAM MANAGERS AND PLAYERS AS BEING THE BEST 2ND BASEMAN IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

HE WAS A FAST-MOVING 160-POUNDER THAT EXCELLED IN SOFTBALL AND OTHER SPORTS. IN FOOTBALL. HE WAS ONE OF THE FINEST TRIPLE-THREAT BACKS PRODUCED IN THE CITY OF FRANKFORT. IN 1942, FRANK WAS CHOSEN AS ALL-STAR HALFBACK, AND WHEN HE RECEIVED HIS DIPLOMA IN 1942, SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWAITING HIM AT FORDHAM AND HOLY CROSS IN FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL, BUT SELECTED TO JOIN THE MARINES AND SPENT THREE YEARS AS A GUNNER IN A DIVE BOMBER IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

RETURNING FROM THE WAR, HE WENT TO SETON HALL COLLEGE AND PLAYED BASEBALL UNDER AL MANNEAUX. OLD TIME GIANT AND BROOKLYN DODGER GREAT, BEFORE ENTERING THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY. COLEMAN PLAYED ON THE LIGHTHOUSE RESTAURANT TEAM IN 1951, AS SECOND BASEMAN. AND ON THE KNOTTY PINE TEAM IN 1952. WINNING THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP EACH YEAR AND WAS SELECTED BY FANS TO THE ALL-STATE TEAM.

AS A SOFTBALL PLAYER. IN ADDITION TO BEING AN EXCELLENT DEFENSIVE PLAYER, HE COULD ALSO HIT THE BALL. WHEN LIGHTHOUSE RESTAURANT WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, HE BATTED 1.000, THREE HITS AT THREE TIMES AT BAT. FRANK WAS A LEADER AND HE TOOK A STARRING ROLE IN JUST ABOUT ANY SPORT ONE CARES TO MENTION.