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[The following information was copied from a plaque that was presented to Carl Coleman on February 21, 1998 when they inducted him into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame for 1997.]

Carl Coleman graduated from Abilene Christian College in 1939 with a Bachelor of Science degree and is now a farmer in Big Spring. He was a three-year varsity football letterman for the Wildcats in 1935, 1936, and 1937 and student coach in 1938 for coaches A.B. Morris and Tonto Coleman before beginning his high school football-coaching career.

He had a record of 97-49 in 14 seasons as head coach at Pecos, Stamford, and Big Spring high schools in 1942-1955. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas High School Coaches Association. Coleman coached the Big Spring Steers to a state runner-up finish in 1953.

He had records of 39-12 in five years at Pecos, 18-4 in two years at Stamford, and 40-33 in seven years at Big Spring. Among the players he coached were quarterback and coach Ted Sitton (Stamford) and former NFL quarterback Charley Johnson (Big Spring).

Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas, February 21, 1998

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Carl Coleman was born in Philcampbell, Franklin County, Alabama on November 7, 1913. When he was about six years old, in 1919, his father, a rural mail carrier, moved west to Roscoe, Texas. Carl’s mother had tuberculosis, and the doctor recommended the move for her health because of the more favorable climate in Roscoe.

He was one of ten children. Of seven boys and three girls, two boys died, and the other eight children lived on their farm near Roscoe, and all graduated from Roscoe High School. Carl was in the Class of 1932. He attended Abilene Christian College from 1934 until his graduation in 1939, with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Science. He moved to Big Spring, Texas, and on Christmas Eve of that year, married Maxine Smith.

Mrs. Coleman (Maxine) was born March 28, 1919 in Coahoma, Texas. She attended schools in Coahoma and Stanton, but moved to Big Spring to attend her junior and senior years here, graduating in the Class of 1936. She was working as office manager of Burr’s Department Store when she married Carl in 1939. They met at church, which might be one of the reasons they are still married now, 63 years later.

The Coleman’s have three daughters, Kay, Sue, and Gayle, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

After a year and a half in Big Spring, Carl moved to Andrews to coach basketball and track for one semester in the spring of 1941.

He was assistant football coach at McCamey for the school year 1941-42.

He was head coach at Pecos for the five years beginning in the fall of 1942 and ending in the spring of 1947.

He was head coach at Stamford for the 2 years from the fall of 1947 to the spring of 1949.

He returned to Big Spring in the fall of 1949 as head football coach and athletic director.

Coleman retired from coaching after the 1954-1955 school year, and became active in the Smith-Coleman Oil Company, which he and his father-in-law, Samuel Smith, had started in 1948, with Carl as an absentee partner at that time. Later, he bought out Smith’s interest, and then in 1981 he sold the business. He is now the owner of four farms near Big Spring, which are managed by others for him.