Rocco Domenico Colavito, Jr., nicknamed Rocky, was born August 10, 1933 in New York City.
Few players captured the imagination of a town the way Rocky Colavito did Cleveland. The 6’3″, boyishly handsome strongman from the Bronx had a charisma that made him the most memorable personality in Indians history; he was voted so in 1976. He reached 300 home runs faster than all but four players; he was 31 when he hit number 300.
Welcome to the Baseball History Podcast: Featuring This Week in Baseball History, baseball dictionary and a tour of baseball cities. I’m your game announcer Bob Wright.
This is game 25 of the 2009 baseball season
In the first inning let’s take a look at This Week in Baseball History for the 2 week of June.
June 10
1959 In Baltimore, Rocky Colavito becomes the sixth player to hit four home runs in one game helping the Indians defeat the Orioles, 11-8. The New York City native joins Lou Gehrig as the only ones to accomplish the feat with four consecutive shots.
Rocco Domenico Colavito, Jr., nicknamed Rocky, was born August 10, 1933 in New York City.
Few players captured the imagination of a town the way Rocky Colavito did Cleveland. The 6’3″, boyishly handsome strongman from the Bronx had a charisma that made him the most memorable personality in Indians history; he was voted so in 1976. He reached 300 home runs faster than all but four players; he was 31 when he hit number 300.
Rocky dropped out of high school after his sophomore year to play semipro baseball, hoping that would lead to a more direct route to his dream of playing major league baseball. Colavito signed with the Indians for a $3,000 bonus.
When Colavito was growing up, his favorite team was his home-borough Yankees and his favorite player was Joe DiMaggio. He even copied DiMaggio’s open batting stance to use as his own.
While at Reading, of the Class A Eastern League, Colavito started to slump and manager Kerby Farrell had seen enough of the DiMaggio impersonation. The skipper told Rocky, “Rocky, we’ve gone far enough with you on this DiMaggio stuff. Let’s try to be Colavito.” Farrell worked with Colavito to improve his batting stance by having Rocky put his feet together and use a slight crouch in his batting stance. The changes had a positive effect on Colavito as he led the Eastern League with 28 home runs and 121 Runs Batted In.
Cleveland had a crowded outfield in 1955. During the offseason, the Indians acquired Ralph Kiner from the Chicago Cubs. Kiner was at the end of a Hall of Fame career and occupied left field. Larry Doby, another future Hall of Famer, was in center field and Al Smith was in right field. Colavito was sent back to Indianapolis, where he hit 30 home runs and drove in 105, earning a late-season call up to the Indians.
In the nightcap of a doubleheader in Detroit on September 24, Colavito subbed for Al Smith and went 4 for 4 with two runs scored in a 7-0 Cleveland win. In addition to his fine day at the plate, Colavito really had the fans buzzing when in the sixth inning, Tigers first baseman Earl Torgeson was on second base and tried to advance on a deep fly ball. Colavito caught the ball with his back to the wall and fired to third base to nail Torgeson. Not only was the throw from Colavito impressive, Torgeson was still about 30 feet from the bag when the ball arrived at third base.
In 1956 Colavito started the season with Cleveland. However, in the first couple of months, he found the going rough, hitting .215 with five home runs after 37 games. On June 16, he was optioned to San Diego of the Pacific Coast League.
After battering Pacific Coast League pitching to the tune of 12 home runs and a .368 batting average, Colavito returned to the Indians. Colavito credited his hitting success at San Diego to work he had put in with Tribe manager Al Lopez. Lopez changed the rookie’s batting stance from a closed one in a crouch to a closed stand-up position.
The rest of the season Colavito continued to hit well, batting .301 with 16 home runs and 48 Runs Batted In. The Indians finished in second place in the American League for the second straight year.
The following season Colavito played right field most of the season and led all outfielders in putouts with 266. He also had 12 assists. At the plate, Colavito saw his batting average drop by 25 points from the previous season to .252. Yet, he still drove in 85 runs and finished second on the team with 25 home runs. Cleveland finished in sixth place. It was their worst finish since 1946.
After the season, General Manager Hank Greenberg was relieved of his post. That November, Frank “Trader” Lane was given the reins of the Cleveland franchise. He earned the nickname for making more than 400 trades in his career as general manager of the Cardinals, White Sox, Indians, and Athletics.
Nobody was above being traded when Lane was in charge.
Lane hired Bobby Bragan to manage the Indians. Colavito played some first base to spell the aging Mickey Vernon, but also was splitting some time in right field with Roger Maris. Rocky had appealed to Bragan, promising him that he would slug 35 home runs if he was given the chance to be in the everyday lineup.
Colavito became the every day right fielder when Lane traded Maris to Kansas City on June 16, 1958. Colavito made good on his promise, clouting 41 home runs and driving in 113 runs with a .303 average. Colavito added 14 assists from right field and led all outfielders with six double plays made..
For the 1959 season, Colavito hit 42 home rums, tying Harmon Killebrew of Washington for the American League home run crown. Colavito also drove in 111 runs, one Run Batted In shy of Boston’s Jackie Jensen, who led the league with 112 Runs Batted In. His batting average, though, fell 46 points off the previous year, down to .257.
General manager Frank Lane loved to talk trades, throwing names around as if he were dealing baseball cards instead of people. When he was in charge in St. Louis, he even tried to trade Stan Musial. As Musial was an icon to Cardinals fans, Colavito was an icon to Tribe fans. Boys emulated him in the sandlots, either copying his batting stance or the way he flexed his bat behind his back. Girls doted on him, starting numerous fan clubs. Parents loved him as a role model for their children. Most fans appreciated his work ethic, home run power and strong, right arm. Colavito had charisma, and even though he was from the Bronx, Cleveland fans felt that he was one of their own. “Don’t Knock the Rock” was the mantra of many fans, young and old alike.
Lane had always coveted Harvey Kuenn of Detroit. To Lane, the long ball was overrated, and he favored the contact hitter. On April 17, 1960, Colavito was sent to Detroit for Kuenn. Cleveland fans were in an uproar over the trade.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer fielded hundreds of phone calls at their switchboard and a ratio of 9-1 fans was opposed to the trade. Reaction to the trade ranged from “My teeth nearly fell out” to “I’ll never go to the ballpark again”. Eighth grader Carol Kickel may have captured the feeling of Tribe fans better then anyone when she said “I just want to tell you this: I belong to one of the Rocky Colavito fan clubs. It’s all over. We’re going to start a new one, the ‘Lane Haters’”
In Detroit, fans and media were overjoyed at the acquisition of Colavito. As luck would have it, Detroit was opening the 1960 season in Cleveland. Colavito struck out four times against his former team, going hitless in six at bats. The next day, Colavito hit a home run and drove in three runs as Detroit swept the two game series.
For Colavito, 1960 would be a roller coaster year. He started slowly, and was benched by Manager Jimmie Dykes for a time. But Colavito finished fast, hitting 31 home runs and collecting 75 Runs Batted In in the last four months of the year.
The Tigers and Yankees battled for the American League flag for most of the 1961 season. Colavito had a monster year, hitting 45 home runs, driving in 140 runs, scoring 129 runs and hitting.290. A wonderful year for sure, but in every category except for batting average, he was outdone by the Yankees’ Roger Maris, his former teammate in Cleveland.
Maris hit 61 home runs, 142 Runs Batted In and 132 runs scored. The Tigers would also finish second to New York by eight games.
On May 12, 1961, the Detroit Tigers were visiting New York to start a four-game series at Yankee Stadium. Although the season was only a month old, the Tigers held a three-and-a-half-game lead over the Yankees and were eager to send a message to the defending American League champions.
As the eighth inning of the first game of a doubleheader came to a close, Tigers left fielder Rocky Colavito returned to the third base dugout. Colavito, a fan of the Yankees while growing up, always had a large rooting section whenever he returned home. As he neared the dugout, his custom was to look up at the stands to acknowledge his family and friends. On this particular night, Colavito looked up at the stands and saw his father in a tussle with another fan. Colavito explained, “I always look up there and when I saw my father struggling with somebody, I went right over the rail. My father is 60, and nobody is going to hit him while I’m there.”
Colavito rocketed into the stands to come to his father’s defense, bowling over ticket holders as he went. Detroit trainer Jack Homel led a posse of Detroit players to retrieve Colavito. Colavito later said, “Some big son-of-a-gun got a hold of my back but I shook him off fast. I wanted my hands free if there is going to be a fight.”
The cause of the fracas was a Yankees fan, who had had a few beers too many, annoying Rocky’s wife Carmen. Colavito’s older brother, Dominic, and his father Rocco, tried to intervene on Carmen’s behalf.
Umpire Ed Hurley immediately ejected Colavito, citing a rule that any player who invades a fan area during a game must be ejected. After the umpires held a brief conference, it was decided that the other members of the Tigers would not face ejection for leaving the field of play. American League president Joe Cronin felt that the ejection was enough of a penalty for Colavito. Cronin stated, “It wasn’t the right thing for the boy to go up into the stands but I guess it was natural for him to want to help his father.”
Colavito struggled at the beginning of 1962, when he did not connect on a home run in his first 100 at bats. He finally broke through, getting a solo shot on May 16, at Tiger Stadium. From that point on, the Rock was solid. In the month of June, Colavito batted, 356, collected 42 hits, 24 Runs Batted In and eight home runs.
Included in his hot streak was a game on June 24 in Detroit. The Tigers lost in a 22 inning marathon to the Yankees, 9-7. Both teams combined to use 14 pitchers. Colavito went 7-for-10 at the plate, stroking six singles and adding a triple.
He was selected to play the 1962 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field. Colavito hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning. For the regular season, Colavito finished with 37 homers, 112 Runs Batted In and a .273 batting average. Defensively, he led all left fielders with 359 putouts.
The 1963 season was his worst offensively during the four years that he played in Detroit. Through April and May, Colavito hit four round homers and 14 Runs Batted In. He picked it up some as the season went on, and finished the season with 22 home runs and 91 Runs Batted In; just two of those blasts came in September.
Detroit as a team had a miserable year, tying the Indians for fifth place, 25 1/2 games behind New York.
Colavito was dealt to Kansas City that November 18 in a six player deal. Feeling unappreciated in Detroit, Colavito was happy to find a new home.
The Rock reached two milestones with one swing of the bat by collecting his 300th home run and 900th Run Batted In on September 11, 1964, in Baltimore.
Colavito had one of his finest offensive years of his career in 1964. Rocky smacked 34 home runs, drove in 102 runs, and collected 31 doubles and 83 walks while batting.274. However, Kansas City finished in last place in the American League, 42 games behind first-place New York.
Cleveland reacquired Colavito as part of a three-team swap January 20, 1965. Athletics general manger Pat Friday said it was with great reluctance that Colavito was dealt. “He is a great player and he was a favorite with the fans here. I never have known a player who hustled as consistently and as much as Colavito.”
Cleveland general manager Gabe Paul said he had tried to right the wrong made by Lane five years earlier. “I made more then 100 offers to Detroit when Colavito was there.”
Cleveland fans flooded the switchboards of the Indians and the local newspapers, complimenting Paul on a shrewd deal. Colavito had this to say of the trade, “I’m glad to be going home-and I do mean home. Every year when I went into Cleveland with the Tigers or Athletics, I would say to myself, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to be playing here again?’”
A crowd of more than 44,000 was the largest opening day gate in the major leagues in 1965. With the hometown fans cheering wildly that their favorite star had come back to them, Colavito did not disappoint. He slugged a two run homer off California Angels reliever Bob Lee.
Colavito led the American League with 108 Runs Batted In and 93 walks, and was the American League’s starting right fielder in the All Star Game. Colavito played errorless defense in right field all season, handling 274 chances.
He reached the 1,000-Runs Batted In plateau on September 6, 1965, in the second game of a doubleheader in Washington.
Colavito clobbered 30 home runs for the Indians in 1966, but his batting average dropped to a career low of .238. Colavito, who played with a sore shoulder for much of the season, set a record for playing in 206 games without committing an error.
On August 19 Cleveland Manager Tebbetts resigned and was replaced by George Strickland. Strickland had some previous managerial experience. Strickland benched Colavito for his poor showing during the last month of the season. “I don’t like it and I don’t mind saying so,” said Colavito. “What really burns me is that I played all year with a sore shoulder and always tried to do my best. Now, with 12 games left, he is going to rest me.”
Former Milwaukee Brave Joe Adcock became the new manager in 1967. Adcock, who had no previous managerial or coaching experience at any level, moved Colavito to left field and instituted a platoon situation.
Colavito had the following thoughts, “I’m tired of this platooning and I waited a long time before saying anything. I’m not a trouble maker, never was and never will be, but I feel I must speak out now and say what’s inside me.” Earlier in the year in a game in Boston, Colavito was lifted for a pinch hitter when the Red Sox brought in a southpaw with the bases loaded. Colavito and Adcock became embroiled in a heated argument in the dugout. Two days later an article appeared in the Cleveland Press titled “Join the Team, Rocky”. The article accused Colavito of not being a team player and putting personal feelings ahead of the team’s success.
After only appearing in 63 games for the Indians, Colavito was traded to the White Sox on July 29, 1967. win the most popular Indian contest by default with Rocky gone,” mused catcher Duke Sims.
Chicago had a two-game lead over Boston in the American League. Two days after the trade, Chicago was in Cleveland, and Colavito hit a two-run home run in the tenth inning that would prove to be the winning margin of a 4-2 Sox victory.
The White Sox posted a 31-30 record in August and September, while Boston went 35-26 to win the pennant in 1967, with Chicago finishing three games back and in fourth place. For Colavito, he would appear in 60 games, hitting 3 home runs and 29 Runs Batted In.
Toward the end of spring tin 1968, Colavito was sold to the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 26. The Dodgers wanted an insurance policy against left-handed pitching and Colavito was available. He hit three home runs for the Dodgers, all of them coming in a two game series at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Colavito was released by the Dodgers and signed with the Yankees on July 15. In his first appearance wearing the pinstripes for his hometown team, Colavito blasted a three run homer in he fifth inning off of the Senators’ Joe Coleman, helping the Yankees to a 4-0 home win.
Colavito retired after the season. He returned to Cleveland to work as a TV analyst in 1972, 1975 and 1976. Rocky also served on the Indians’ coaching staff in 1973 and 1976-1978. Colavito later served on Tribe teammate Dick Howser’s coaching staff in 1982 and 1983 when Howser managed the Kansas City Royals.
In 1994, Cleveland sportswriter Terry Pluto wrote the best selling book The Curse of Rocky Colavito. In it, Pluto details the trials and tribulations of the Cleveland franchise after Frank Lane traded Colavito to Detroit. Pluto, who was born in 1955, recalls that the first words he may have learned where “Don’t Knock the Rock”. He picked up the phrase from his father when he was quite young, as did most Tribe fans of that generation.
Rocky denies that he ever put a curse on the Cleveland Indians.
A large part of this biography comes from the SABR Baseball Biography Project written by Joseph Wancho. It can be found online at http://bioproj.sabr.org
In this inning we’ll open up the Baseball Dictionary
Under the letter: A
Active player
A player who is regularly and actively engaged in playing baseball.
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