CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A statue honoring Cleveland Indians legend Rocky Colavito was unveiled Tuesday at Tony Brush Park in Little Italy. Rocky Colavito ( 1960-1964 ) is retired and living in Pennsylvania . He's missing a part of one leg. Whenever I got to see him play I was always leery itd be another game of homers against us . His career numbers compare very nicely with other Hall of Famers. Then theres Colavitos teammate from the Indians, Minnie Minoso. With my leg, he said, its just an extra effort. Later, it was always a thrill to hear Herb broadcast the Indians games as a . I copied his batting style as a Little Leaguer and on the Day my Team won our towns Little League Championship in 1961 . Rocky Colavito was born in The Bronx, New York City, USA on Thursday, August 10, 1933 (Silent Generation). Offers In-House Shipping. I care. On June 10, 1959, a new issue of The Sporting News hit the streets that proclaimed Cleveland Indians right-fielder Rocky Colavito the "American League player most likely to emulate -and possibly surpass- Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in one season". That same season he hit four consecutive homers in a game against Baltimore and was named an All-Star starter. In fact, theyve done it twice, 1920 and 1948, and they also lost to the New York Giants in the 1954 World Series. Asked of candidates he favors, Colavito mentions former Washington Senators slugger Roy Sievers and his brief teammate on the 1968 Dodgers, Ken Boyer. Cleveland is playing Chicago tonight and the score is 10-2 with Cleveland winning at this time-it's the bottom of the 7th inning. It was 320 down each line, 385 to each alley, 410 to center. He definitely deserves to be in the HOF for what he did for Baseball as a whole . To me, he was the ultimate [jerk], just not a good human being. He was the most exciting hr hitter in the al besides mantle. Hall of fame Im. That birthday visit, in particular, was the trip that erased any lingering hard feelings. It was the 17-year-old outfielders right arm that most interested the Indians and when, after signing for a $3,000 bonus, he showed up in Daytona Beach, he found himself listed as a pitcher. It was hard work, real labor, Colavito said of the business in which he partnered with his father-in-law. John Miasack (sp) had a blazing fastball but never wanted to grind through the minors (his brother played for the Stags). "My wife is the one who takes care of that duty and she enjoys it but it's been extremely stressful. New York, New York, United States. Found inside Page 250I remember Rocky Colavito . The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. To me, Colavito falls into a class of players who might have been Hall of Famers had they kept up the pace from the first half of their careers, rather than falling almost completely off the map around 30. Chuck Thompson is the interviewer for Warren Spahn and Ernie Harwell does Rocky Colavito. MORE: Hall of Fames veteran voting system could keep qualified players out. 60s. 1957 Topps Baseball Rocco (Rocky) Colavito Rookie for auction. If rocky and dale had been in New York or LA they would be in the hof. WebRocky Colavito smashed 374 homers in his career. WebBrowse 79 rocky colavito stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. WebDetroit Beautiful. No small feats those. Told of what Tiant said, Colavito said hes offered similar instructions for his loved ones. Rocky Colavito was born on Thursday, August 10, 1933, in New York, New York. Available to new Hayu customers. WebWhere does Peter Colavito live and when did he move there? His excellence on the field has to be taken into consideration here and definitely separates him from fine, but more one dimensional players like Frank Howard (not Boog, because he was such an excellent first baseman. It is, however, an open question whether another year or two would have been sufficient for Rocky to hit the 26 HRs he needed to reach 400, as he had only 8 in 68. As a side gesture lets not forget Bill Madlock to go into the Hall. Colavito hit a home run in It was all about him. Legends usually inspire curses. His first was as an advisor with the Vietnamese Airborne in '65 & '66, and the second as a company commander with the 1st Cavalry Division in '68 & '69. Your email address will not be published. NAME SEASON TM G HR AB R H 2B 3B RBI SH SF SB CS BB IBB HBP SO GIDP PA TB XBH AVG OBP SLG OPS WRC WRC+ WOBA WRAA BRAA; Rocky Colavito: 1955: I saw the ball good in Cleveland, he said. That same season he hit four consecutive homers in a game against Baltimore and was named an All-Star starter. His return to Cleveland had inadvertently added a new chapter to the Curse saga. He's still important to Cleveland. In their primes, each may have seemed like a shoe-in for future enshrinement, but its a push to lobby for any of them now (though I included Gooden among the 10 best players not in the Hall of Fame.). "9 Youngsters Wait for First Taste of Majors". Mr. Colavito also pitched three scoreless innings for the Tribe in 1958. A place on the Internet devoted to Colavitos candidacy, Rocky Colavito Fan Site notes, Many avid baseball fans assume that Rocky is already in the Hall ofFame and are shocked when they learn that this is not the case. The site carries a Hall of Fame petition in Colavitos name, with a goal of making the slugger eligible this year with the Veterans Committee for enshrinement next summer. The wiry 6-foot-3, 190-pounder showed plenty of power as he climbed through the minors 28 HRs at single-A Reading, 38 at triple-A Indianapolis. For 83-year-old Rocky Colavito, it could very well end any hope of him being enshrined in his lifetime. Id love to be in the Hall of Fame. Like the mushrooms he nurtured in dark houses behind his father-in-laws Berks County home, Rocky Colavito has spent most of his post-baseball existence in the dark. Hammerin' Hank Aaron was manufactured with both a high-step and a flat-footed stance to keep the figure from falling What happened was, he hated the mound in Griffith Stadium. And those who flocked to the 75,000-seat stadium on Lake Erie loved watching him do it. But Cleveland youngsters formed fan clubs and swarmed him for autographs. As he neared the Rocky also hit four home runs in one game at Memorial Stadium on June 10, 1959. Deseret News. He does not think he is a big deal," Sommer said. The Major was eager to give his veteran a shot at pitching. I got letters from parents thanking me for teaching their kids discipline.. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. Click here to sign up. When he retired he was third in the AL for lifetime homeruns by a right-handed batter. Found inside Page 182He said, 'You're a broadcaster now. But the laughing stopped when hed rifle a line drive throw from the right field corner to cut down a foolish runner trying to go to second or third, or when hed loosen up by putting the bat behind his back and wiggling his neck and shoulders before stepping into the box and taking aim with his bat at the pitcher. But Mike McNally, the farm director, told me to check the pitchers.. 555 N. Central Ave. #416 Legends usually inspire curses. Everywhere Id go, the kids would crowd around and I get poked in the face or theyd get ink on my suit. By 1994, the team had not won a pennant since 1954, or a World Series since 1948. Score completed 30 of his first 73 starts! And after a while, they lined themselves up. To me. How Much Should I Charge For Wedding Photography, Rocky Colavito was a popular player and was traded in the 1960s. 9-time MLB All-Star who led the American League in home runs in 1959 and hit 374 home runs over the course of his 14-year career; became the first AL outfielder to post a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in a season in 1965. You can try reaching Rocky D Colavito's landline at (610) 926-5410 or call at (570) 617-1182.The latter is a mobile phone number. I roomed with (Jim) Bunning for three years, but he had more wins than Bunning did, Colavito said of Tiant. He can be enshrined by the Veterans Committee. Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season, View Player Bio The Curse of Rocky Colavito: A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump Paperback April 20, 2007 by Terry Pluto (Author) 66 ratings Kindle $9.99 Read with Our Free App Hardcover $39.98 28 Used from $3.61 6 New from $32.00 4 Collectible from $19.99 Paperback $18.95 25 Used from $5.82 19 New from $16.73 2 Collectible from Rocky I was a young man myself when I meant you at Kutztown Auto Co and worked on your Caddilacs you brought in pics personally sign for my boy and I .showed me your hitting technics was watching Home run Derby greatest dam hitter of all time your time with Cleveland Stats 4 home runs 1 game!!!!! Detroit. They married and by 1956, he was a full-time Indians outfielder and fan favorite. Its unfortunate, though, for the players who wind up being jerked around for decades. The beloved Cleveland Indians player Rocky Colavito is getting a permeant place in Little Italy, with a statue reveal of the beloved Italian baseball legend scheduled for Tuesday. Current Hall of Fame eligibility: Colavito appeared on the Cooperstown ballot for the Baseball Writers Association of America twice, receiving two votes in 1974 and one in 1975. He was one of the most feared hitters in the league. Your email address will not be published. It appears I will never pass through the doors of the Baseball Hall of Fame because its been proven to me to be nothing but one big Cool Kids popularity contest. Hed been back before for his induction into the Indians Hall of Fame, for his 80th birthday in 2013. I watch the Phillies on TV. Rocky Colavito 1967 Topps #109 Baseball Card (111052764) Bidding has ended on this item. In 1960, the Indians traded star right fielder Rocky Colavito. Asked whether Score would have been a Hall of Famer if not for his injury, Colavito carefully considered his words. 6 ft 3 inches, 190 lb (190 cm, 86 kg) Batting Hand. The wiry 6-foot-3, 190-pounder showed plenty of power as he climbed through the minors 28 HRs at single-A Reading, 38 at triple-A Indianapolis. The formerIndians great, one of the top sluggers of the 1950s and '60s, might rank among the most popular aging candidates online, with an active contingent of supporters. So when Colavitos biographer, Mark Sommer, saw that baseballs All-Star Game was returning to the Ohio city in 2019, he reached out to Indians co-owner Paul Dolan. [18] References[ edit] Biography portal Baseball portal ^ "Francona Gets the Word: Stop Swinging for Homers". To me, he was the ultimate jerk, just not a good human being. Green called Mark Sommers book, Rocky Colavito: Clevelands Iconic Slugger the turning point in bringing a respectful hat tip to Colavitos life and career. He slung the ball instead of popping it.. We were partners for the purpose of growing mushrooms and I learned to buy manure, spawn, top soil, how to spray for red mites, how to work the dirt.. It aint going to do me any good when Im dead.. NOT in the Hall! With his name and the great years he had, Id have thought he received a plaque years ago (Kluszewski as well, come to think of it.) Rocky may fall a little short in getting in, but is should be remembered what an excellent right fielder he was having excellent range, a great arm and setting the record as the first outfielder to have an errorless season. Colavito went one for three, singling off Lew Burdette in the fourth inning. In better health these days, Colavitofocuses on the things that are important. Claim to fame: Colavito had a 14-year career from 1955 to 1968, and for about ten of those years, he was one of the best players in the American League. While with the Yankees in 1968, Colavito finally got to pitch, throwing 2 innings of shutout relief against Detroit and earning a win, the last position player to do so in the AL until 2000. Henry J. How Much Should I Charge For Wedding Photography. So I started to line them up orderly. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball, Salaries may not be complete (especially pre-1985) and may not include some earned bonuses, Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. As they used to say with good reason, Dont Knock the Rock. Heres to you, Rocco! is a Tuesday feature here. 11,299th in major league history) December 4, 2020. Everybody says that him getting hit was the end of his career, so to speak, Colavito said. He thrived both with the Indians and after he was traded for Harvey Kuenn following the 1959 season in the trade that inspired the famous Curse of Rocky Colavito.. 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