A reckless, senseless act by Vince Coleman blew up in his face, putting him at risk for a jail sentence and casting him into baseball limbo.
On Aug. 26, 1993, the Mets cut their connection to Coleman, telling him to stay home, after prosecutors charged him with a felony for throwing an explosive device similar to a grenade into a parking lot and injuring three people, including two children.
Though a month remained in the 1993 season and Coleman had another year left on his contract, Mets co-owner Fred Wilpon said Coleman “will not play here again as a Met” regardless of the legal outcome of the case. His stint with them was marred by injuries and controversies until he reached rock bottom with the felony charge.
Follow the money
An outfielder with exceptional speed, Coleman debuted in the major leagues with the Cardinals in 1985, established a big-league single-season rookie record with 110 stolen bases, scored 107 runs and sparked St. Louis to a National League pennant. Coleman was the unanimous choice for the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Coleman led the league in stolen bases in each of his six seasons with St. Louis, swiping more than 100 three times.
After the 1990 season, when Coleman, 29, became a free agent, the Cardinals offered him a four-year, $10.5 million contract. Coleman rejected it for the Mets’ offer of four years at $11.95 million.
While with the Mets, Coleman had trouble on and off the field. Plagued by damaged hamstrings, he was limited to 72 games and 37 stolen bases in 1991 and 71 games and 24 stolen bases in 1992.
Coleman feuded with manager Jeff Torborg and coach Mike Cubbage and he was suspended for two games after shoving Torborg. In 1992, Coleman was one of three Mets players investigated in a rape allegation until authorities in Port St. Lucie, Fla., determined there wasn’t enough evidence to file charges.
Under attack
On July 24, 1993, Coleman and teammate Bobby Bonilla got into a Jeep driven by Dodgers outfielder Eric Davis after a game at Dodger Stadium. As a prank, Coleman tossed a M-100, described by authorities as a military device having 200 to 300 grains of gunpowder and used to simulate grenades, into the parking lot where a group of people were gathered to seek autographs from players.
The M-100, which packed the equivalent power of a quarter-stick of dynamite, exploded and injured a 2-year-old girl, who suffered second-degree burns to a cheek and damage to an eye and finger; an 11-year-old boy, who had cuts on his shin; and a 33-year-old woman, who complained of vertigo and ringing in her ear, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Salvador Hernandez, who witnessed the incident, told the Los Angeles Times he saw Coleman toss the M-100 and “he definitely meant to throw it at the fans.”
Another witness, Veronica Mayhew, told the New York Daily News the M-100 “started fizzing and everybody thought it was a smoke bomb, but then it just blew up really big and sparks flew everywhere.”
Five days later, Coleman called his actions “inappropriate,” but complained about being portrayed as insensitive and uncaring.
Clear message
Coleman, batting .279 with 38 stolen bases, played his last game for the Mets on July 31, 1993, against the Cardinals at St. Louis. After that, manager Dallas Green, who’d replaced Torborg in May, removed Coleman from the lineup until authorities determined whether to file charges.
On Aug. 3, 1993, the Los Angeles district attorney’s office charged Coleman with one count of unlawful possession of an explosive device. A spokesman said prosecutors opted for a felony charge instead of a misdemeanor because of the strength of the explosive and the injuries. Coleman faced a maximum sentence of three years in jail.
In a prepared statement, Coleman said, “I take full responsibility for a very foolish act for which I am suffering greatly. It was never my intent to hurt anyone.”
At Coleman’s request, the Mets placed him on an unpaid leave of absence.
Meanwhile, public pressure was applied on the Mets to do more to punish Coleman.
_ Steve Serby, New York Daily News: “There really is no point in keeping Vince Coleman around anymore … Coleman is nothing but trouble.”
_ Michael Ventre, Los Angeles Daily News: “Baseball produces a higher percentage of immature knuckleheads than any other sport. Sitting on the throne today as the king of all of them is Coleman … Here’s hoping somebody lowers the boom on Vince.”
_ Bernie Miklasz, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, noting how pitcher Nolan Ryan pummeled Robin Ventura after Ventura charged the mound: “It’s a shame Vince Coleman didn’t charge Ryan … Maybe we ought to have Nolan Ryan clean this game up, administer his brand of frontier justice, and restore baseball’s vanishing morality.”
Three weeks into his leave of absence, the Mets told Coleman he never would be welcomed back to the team.
“I think it would be in Vince Coleman’s best interests and the New York Mets’ best interests that he never wear a New York Mets uniform again,” Wilpon said.
Said Green: “You’ve got to have guys who care about their responsibilities as a professional and care about the organization and care about winning. There were times that wasn’t Vinny’s first goal.”
Plea bargain
Coleman hired Robert Shapiro to be his defense attorney. Shapiro, one of the lawyers who represented O.J. Simpson in his double-murder trial, sought to have the charge against Colman reduced to a misdemeanor.
On Oct. 22, 1993, Coleman entered a plea of innocent to the felony charge in municipal court in Los Angeles. Two weeks later, on Nov. 5, after Shapiro and prosecutors negotiated an agreement, Coleman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of possession of an explosive device.
A one-year jail term was suspended. Coleman was given three years of probation and assigned 200 hours of community service. He also agreed to make restitution to the three people he injured.
Deputy district attorney Bill Hodgman said he consulted with the victims and their families to determine whether to accept the plea agreement and all agreed he should, the Associated Press reported.
“I’m relieved, very relieved,” Coleman said. “I’m sorry it happened. I’ve suffered dearly.”
On Jan. 5, 1994, the Mets traded Coleman to the Royals for outfielder Kevin McReynolds.
Coleman played four more big-league seasons with four teams, Royals, Mariners, Reds and Tigers, before making an unsuccessful comeback bid with the Cardinals in 1998.
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