| Rocky Colavito | |
|---|---|
 Colavito in 1959 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born:(1933-08-10)August 10, 1933 New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| Died: December 10, 2024(2024-12-10) (aged 91) Bernville, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 10, 1955, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 28, 1968, for the New York Yankees | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .266 |
| Home runs | 374 |
| Runs batted in | 1,159 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Rocco Domenico "Rocky"Colavito Jr. (August 10, 1933 – December 10, 2024) was an American professionalbaseball player,coach, and televisionsports commentator. He played inMajor League Baseball as anoutfielder from 1955 to 1968, most prominently as a member of theCleveland Indians, with whom he established himself as a fan favorite for his powerful hitting and his strong throwing arm.[1] Colavito also played for theDetroit Tigers,Kansas City Athletics,Chicago White Sox,Los Angeles Dodgers, andNew York Yankees. At the time of his retirement in 1968, Colavito ranked third among AL right-handed hitters for home runs (374) and eighth for AL games played as aright fielder (1,272).
A nine-timeAll-Star, Colavito averaged 33 home runs per year for his first eleven seasons, exceeding 40home runs three times and 100runs batted in six times.[2] He is the fifth player in the history of theAmerican League (AL) to have eleven consecutive 20 home run seasons (1956–1966). In1959, he hit four consecutivehome runs in one game and, was the ALhome run champion. He was also the first outfielder in AL history to complete a season without making anerror.[3]
After his playing career, Colavito worked as a television sportscolor commentator forWJW (TV) before returning to the playing field to serve as a coach with the Indians and theKansas City Royals. In 2001, Colavito was voted one of the 100 greatest players in Cleveland Indians' history by a panel of veteran baseball writers, executives and historians.[1] He was inducted into theCleveland Guardians Hall of Fame in 2006.[4]
Colavito was born and raised inthe Bronx, aborough of New York City, where he became a devotedNew York Yankees fan, particularly ofJoe DiMaggio. At the age of sixteen, he dropped out ofTheodore Roosevelt High School after his sophomore year to playsemi-professional baseball in hopes that it would lead to his dream of playing inMajor League Baseball (MLB).[1]
MLB rules called for a player to wait until his school class graduated before signing, and only a special appeal allowed him to go pro after a one-year wait. The Yankees expressed little interest in him, and thePhiladelphia Athletics had to bow out due to financial problems. The Cleveland Indians did take interest in his strong throwing arm (IndiansscoutMike McNally had watched him try out inYankee Stadium)[1] and signed him at age 17 as an undrafted amateur free agent on January 1, 1951,[5] with two-thirds of his signing bonus deferred until he progressed in their system. In 1954, Colavito hit 38 home runs and drove in 116 RBIs for the minor league baseball team,Indianapolis Indians.[6]
Colavito made his MLB debut on September 10,1955 for the Cleveland Indians.[7] In1956, he started the season playing in thePacific Coast League, once showing off his throwing arm by hurling a ball over the center-field wall, 436 feet (133 m) from home plate. In July, he returned to the Indians. He finished the seasonbatting .276 with 21 home runs, and was tied for runner-up in the ALRookie of the Year voting.[8] In1957, he batted .252 with 25 home runs. In1958, Colavito, now wearing number 6,[7] batted a career-high .303 with 41 home runs (one behind league leaderMickey Mantle) and 113 runs batted in. He led the AL that season in slugging with a .620 average (the highest by an Indians right-handed hitter untilAlbert Belle in1994), and finished third in theMVP balloting. Colavito also pitched three hitless innings for Cleveland against theDetroit Tigers on August 13 that season.[9]
In1959, Colavito hit 42 home runs and became the first Indians player to have two consecutive 40-HR seasons; he tiedHarmon Killebrew for the AL lead that season (was one short ofAl Rosen's club record) and was the AL leader inextra-base hits (66) andtotal bases (301).[10] On June 10, atBaltimore Orioles' cavernousMemorial Stadium, he became the second player in AL history to hit four consecutivehome runs in a nine-inning game;Lou Gehrig hit four in1932.[11] In an interview in 2021, Colavito called the game the highlight of his career.[12] He was selected for both of the All-Star Games held for the first time that season and homered in Game 2 (two All-Star games were held annually in 1959 through1962).[13] In the AL pennant race that year, the Indians finished second, five games behind theChicago White Sox. This was the closest he would come to a title until 1967. He also finished fourth in the MVP vote. Colavito would hit 30-plus home runs for seven seasons, establishing himself as a consistent power hitter. He also was an excellent outfielder with a very strong arm despite beingflat-footed.[14]
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On April 17,1960, Indiansgeneral managerFrank Lane unexpectedly traded him to theDetroit Tigers forHarvey Kuenn (the 1959 AL batting champion, having hit .353)[15] just two days before the opening day of the season in Cleveland against the Tigers.[14] The trade proved to be a good one for the Tigers but an unpopular trade for the Indians, whose fans lost their favorite player and best hitter. Kuenn, who had a minor injury early in the season, hit .308 for the Indians, but was traded at the end of the year.[16] The Tigers played Colavito in right field because of his strong throwing arm, movingAl Kaline to center field that season.[17] Colavito hit .249 with 35 home runs and 87 RBI. In1961, Colavito hit .290 with a career-high 45 home runs, 140 RBI, and 129runs scored. Detroit led the Major Leagues in scoring, and he placed eighth in the MVP race. Colavito was switched from right field to left field for the Tigers, and Kaline was reestablished in right field. Colavito was selected for both All-Star Games again and homered in Game 2. During a doubleheader that season against theWashington Senators atGriffith Stadium, he hit 4 home runs, 3 in Game 2.[18][19]
Detroit Free Press sportswriterJoe Falls, who viewed Colavito as a "self-ordained deity", began going after Colavito in the press and started a feature chronicling the runs he failed to drive in; whenever Colavito stranded a runner, Falls would give him the facetious statistic "RNBI" (Run Not Batted In).[20] This infuriated Colavito and created a tense relationship between the two men for several years. In one game, Falls – acting as the official scorer – charged Colavito with a controversialerror, causing Colavito to confront him after the game. Another time when Colavito was in a batting slump and the Tigers fans started razzing him for it, he threw a ball he barely caught in left field over the right-field light tower and roof.[21] On May 12, 1961, Colavito was ejected from a game with the Yankees in New York after climbing into the stands, which was against MLB rules (though other Tigers players who followed Colavito into the stands were not ejected), to go after a drunken Yankee fan who had been scuffling with his father there after the fan started harassing Colavito's wife.[14] The Tigers played the gameunder protest, which they won 4–3.[22] Colavito ($35,000 in 1961)[7] drew Detroit fans' criticism by holding out for a higher 1962 salary ($54,000)[23] than established team starAl Kaline ($39,000 to $49,000).[21][24] In 1962, Colavito had 164 hits (Kaline 121), 37 home runs (Kaline 29), and 112 RBI (Kaline 94). He was selected for both All-Star Games for the third time and homered in Game 2. In 1963, Colavito hit .271, with 22 homers and 91 RBI.[citation needed]
Colavito was dealt along withBob Anderson and $50,000 from theTigers to theKansas City Athletics forJerry Lumpe,Dave Wickersham andEd Rakow on November 18,1963.[25][16] He spent only one season with Kansas City, earning a $50,000 salary as the highest-paid player on the A's.[7] On September 11,1964, at 31, he became one of the youngest players to reach the 300-home-run mark (also was his 900th RBI), doing so against theBaltimore Orioles. Colavito hit .274, with 164 hits, 34 home runs, 31 doubles, and 102 RBI for the A's. He also was selected for the All-Star Game. The A's had finished in last place with a 57–105 record.[citation needed]
In January1965, Colavito returned to Cleveland in a three-team trade. Cleveland traded pitcherTommy John (who would win 286 games after the trade and play until1989), outfielderTommie Agee (1966 AL Rookie of the Year and theNew York Mets' top hitter in1969 as they won their first pennant), and catcherJohn Romano, to the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox sent catcherCam Carreon to Cleveland, and outfielderMike Hershberger, center fielderJim Landis, and pitcherFred Talbot (February) to Kansas City.[26][14]
During the home opener on April 21, with a crowd of 44,000, Colavito (uniform #21)[7] hit a two-run homer. He hit .287 that season, and placed fifth in the MVP vote after leading the AL in RBI (108) andwalks (93). He finished among the league's top five players in home runs (26), hits (170), and runs (92). He also was selected for his eighth All-Star Game. Colavito played in all of Cleveland's 162 games without committing an error (274chances),[27] but did not win one of the three ALGold Glove Awards for an outfielder.[28][29] On September 6, he got his 1,000th RBI.[14] The Indians finished in 5th place with an 87–75 record.
In1966, Colavito hit .238 with 30 home runs and 72 RBI. He also was selected for his ninth and last All-Star Game. The Indians finished in 5th place with an 81–81 record. Colavito received a $55,000 and $57,000 salary from Cleveland, the highest given to an Indians' team player during those two years.[7]
In late July1967, Colavito (hitting .241 with 5 home runs and 21 RBI) was traded by the Indians to theChicago White Sox, who finished three games out of first that season. In 60 games for the White Sox that season, Colavito managed to get 42 hits with 3 home runs and 29 RBI.[citation needed]
In March1968, his contract was purchased by theLos Angeles Dodgers from the White Sox. Colavito hit 3 home runs for the Dodgers in hisNational League debut, and batted .204 with 23 hits in 60 games. He was released by the Dodgers on July 11 that season.[citation needed]
On July 15, 1968, Colavito was signed as a free agent by the New York Yankees,[5] the last team and season of his 14-year MLB playing career. During his first time up batting for the Yankees, he hit a three-run homer against the Senators. On August 25, Colavito (uniform #29),[7] who was now 35 years old, became the last position player untilBrent Mayne in2000 to be credited as thewinningpitcher in a game. He pitched2+2⁄3 scoreless innings as a reliever in the first game of a doubleheader against the league-leading Detroit Tigers.[30] Not only did he face down Al Kaline and Willie Horton, he further vexed the Tigers by scoring the winning run for the Yanks in the eighth inning. He also homered in the second game. Colavito's pitching feat as a Yankee was not seen again in the AL until May 6,2012, whenBaltimore OrioleChris Davis earned a win.[31] Colavito got 20 hits including 5 home runs in 39 games played for the Yankees. He was released by the Yankees on September 30, 1968[5] and retired as a player.
Colavito was hired by the Cleveland Indians as abroadcaster onWJW-TV for the 1972 season.[32] He was a first base coach for the Indians during the 1973 season,[32][33] broadcaster during the 1975 season,[32] hitting coach and broadcaster during the 1976 season,[32][34] and first base coach during the 1977 and 1978 seasons.[32] He was a hitting coach for theKansas City Royals during the 1982 and 1983 seasons.[32][35][36]
In 1982, Colavito andKansas City Royals ManagerDick Howser, a formershortstop for the Indians, were involved in a traffic accident and struggle with police.[37] Colavito and Howser were convicted of interfering with police and received 90-day jail sentences. Both appealed and served six months of probation.[38]
Colavito was involved in the 1983pine tar game and was ejected for arguing the umpires' decision to negateGeorge Brett's home run and call him out, which would have given the Yankees the win;[39] the decision was later overturned, the game was resumed a month later with the Royals in the lead as the result of Brett's home run, and the Royals won the game.[40]
Colavito married Carmen Perrotti, a professional dancer, in 1954.[41] On August 11, 2015, he had to have his right leg amputated below the knee due to problems with type 2 diabetes, from which he had suffered for a number of years.[42]
Colavito died from type 2 diabetes at his home inBernville, Pennsylvania, on December 10, 2024, at the age of 91.[43]
Notable achievements:[citation needed]
Other achievements:
Colavito was one of the most popular power hitters and outfielders of his time with one of the best throwing arms in baseball.[46]
In2001, Colavito received a huge ovation at the introduction of the Indians' All-Century team.[47]
On July 29, 2006, Colavito, along withRay Chapman,Addie Joss,Sam McDowell,Al Rosen,Herb Score and managerAl López, were all inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.[48]
On August 10, 2021, his 88th birthday, astatue of Colavito was unveiled at Tony Brush Park inCleveland's Little Italy. Colavito was in attendance for the ceremony.[49]
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In 1994,Terry Pluto, who covered the Cleveland Indians forThe Plain Dealer in the 1980s and became the top sports columnist for theAkron Beacon Journal (but returned toThe Plain Dealer in 2007), publishedThe Curse of Rocky Colavito, a book that tried to explain why the Indians had not come within even 11 games of first place since 1959.[1][50] Pluto's explanation was that the trade of Colavito by the Indians in 1960 sent the team on a path to mediocrity that lasted more than three decades. He also suggested that the trade in 1965 to bring Colavito back to the Indians was just as bad as the one that had sent him away.
Pluto wrote a sequel,Burying the Curse, in 1995, after the Cleveland Indians won their first American League Championship in 41 years that season. Cleveland lost the World Series 4–2 to theAtlanta Braves. In1997, the Indians won the AL pennant again, but lost theWorld Series 4–3 to theFlorida Marlins after needing just two more outs in Game 7 to win. In 1999, Pluto wrote thebookOur Tribe, a history of the Cleveland Indians. Pluto insists in the book that the curse is still in effect.
The Indians won the American League Championship again 19 years later, in 2016. Cleveland lost the World Series to theChicago Cubs 4–3; Cleveland's last World Series title was in1948, when they defeated theBoston Braves.
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Batters with four home runs in one game June 10, 1959 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
