If any major league player was meant to be platooned, it was Gordy Coleman.
The Reds left-handed hitting first baseman batted .285 with 89 home runs and 349 runs batted in over 701 career games against right-handed pitchers. Against left-handers, Coleman was somewhat less effective, hitting just .217 with nine homers and 38 RBI in 205 games.
Unless, that is, the left-hander was Warren Spahn. Coleman, for reasons neither he nor Spahn ever could figure out, simply owned the Hall of Famer, batting .516 (16-for-31) with three homers and seven RBI.
None of the home runs was more crucial than the one Coleman belted on July 2, 1961.