1937, Coffman attended spring training with the Tigers, and as he later recalled, "this time I intended to stay with the big club." During the 1937 spring training sessions, he developed a "reputation of being a big talker and a fierce competitor." On the trip to Detroit following spring training, the Tigers played an exhibition game in Cincinnati. Coffman combined with All-Stars Schoolboy Rowe and Tommy Bridges for a shutout. Despite his performance against Cincinnati, Detroit manager Mickey Cochrane told him after the game, "We are sending you to Toledo." After unsuccessfully arguing that he had earned a spot on the Tigers' roster, Coffman told Cochrane, "I'll go to Toledo, but mark my word, I'll be back up in less than 30 days." At Toledo, Coffman won six games for the Mud Hens, leading the Toledo Blade to report: "This 21-year-old right-handed pitcher of the Toledo Mud Hens is proving one of the sensations of the season in the American Association."" Coffman was promptly called up to Detroit and joined the Tigers in Philadelphia, and Cochrane told Coffman that he would pitch the first game of a series in Boston. In Boston, Coffman recalled that the newspaper headlines reported that "the young upstart from the cotton fields of Alabama would pitch against the incomparable Lefty Grove." On the day of his debut, Cochrane came into the clubhouse and announced that Eldon Auker would start the game. Coffman complained to Cochrane, "But Mickey you told me I would pitch today, and I'm prepared to do just that." Cochrane responded, "I don't care what I told you. Go out there and bring somebody in like Schoolboy Rowe. Grove's pitching today and I want you to get off to a better start...you know we never score many runs off him." Coffman replied, "Well let me tell you Mickey they won't score many runs off of me, either." Coffman recalled that this was all Cochrane was waiting for, and he slammed his fist on a table and exclaimed, "OK kid I'll catch you." In his first big league start, Coffman got the win against Grove, as the Tigers beat Boston, 4–2. Coffman and Grove both pitched complete games, and Coffman allowed eight hits in 11 innings; he also had a hit in Detroit's 11th inning rally. The Associated Press account of the game opened as follows: "Youthful George (Slick) Coffman, making his big-league debut