Famed Padres Announcer Jerry Coleman Endorses Nathan Fletcher, Campaign Releases Web Ad

Padres broadcaster and combat veteran Marine Jerry Coleman today endorsed Nathan Fletcher for mayor. The campaign also released a web video he narrated detailing Fletcher’s military service.

“Nathan brings the same leadership qualities, poise and character he exhibited as a combat Marine to all his endeavors – and that’s exactly what it’s going to take to turn City Hall around and get our city back on track,” said Jerry Coleman. “It is time to turn the page on the problems of the past. I’m confident Nathan will bring everyone to the table to do exactly that.”

The video, which can be watched in its entirety below, was produced by a campaign volunteer. It is based on military records of Fletcher’s service in the Marine Corps, which were previously chronicled by the UT San Diego and Voice of San Diego. He served on reserve and active duty for a total of ten years, including deployments to the Horn of Africa and Sunni Triangle region of Iraq.

“I am honored and humbled to have the support of a San Diego icon like Jerry Coleman,” said Fletcher. “His contributions to our country, the game of baseball and our culture as a city are unmatched. As a fellow Marine, I appreciate the sacrifice he made by fighting in two wars, and the kind of discipline he showed as a player, coach and manager.”

Jerry Coleman is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) second baseman for the New York Yankees. Currently, he is an analyst and former play-by-play radio announcer for the San Diego Padres. Coleman was named the rookie of the year in 1949 by the Associated Press, was an All-Star in 1950, and later that year was named the World Series most valuable player. His Yankees teams appeared in six World Series in his career, winning four times. Coleman is the only MLB player to have seen combat in two wars, having served in the Korean War and World War II. He later became a broadcaster, and he was honored in 2005 by the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick Award for his broadcasting contributions.