Rocky Colavito, a preferred outfielder concerned in one of the crucial debated trades in Cleveland sports activities historical past, has died. He was 91 years previous.
A nine-time All-Star, Colavito died Tuesday at his dwelling in Bernville, Pennsylvania. Team spokesman Bob DiBiasio stated he had been knowledgeable by the household and that there have been relations at Colavito’s aspect.
“Our collective hearts ache for Rocky’s passing,” stated DiBiasio, the Guardians’ senior vice chairman of public affairs. “Rocky was a generational hero, one of the crucial fashionable gamers in franchise historical past. His recognition was evident all through Northeast Ohio as sandlot gamers in all places imitated Rocky’s kneeling circle routine, then When he entered the batter’s field he would lengthen the bat over his shoulders and level the bat on the pitcher.”
In eight seasons with the Indians, Colavito hit 190 homers and scored 574 runs. He is twelfth on the membership’s profession homer record. Colavito was inducted into the workforce’s Hall of Fame in 2006.
Born within the Bronx, New York, on August 10, 1933, Colavito signed with Cleveland at simply 17 years previous after a tryout at Yankee Stadium in 1951.
He rapidly moved by way of the workforce’s minor league system earlier than making his main league debut in 1955, becoming a member of a Cleveland outfield that already had Ralph Kiner and Larry Doby, each future Hall of Famers.
Rocky Colavito had two stints with Cleveland within the Nineteen Fifties and Nineteen Sixties. (Photo by Herb Scharfman /Sports Illustrated by way of Getty Images)
In 1958, Colavito batted .303 with 41 homers and led the majors in slugging share. He completed third in AL MVP voting.
The following season, he was named an All-Star for the primary time and led the American League with 42 homers. Then, in 1960, Cleveland traded him to the Detroit Tigers in trade for pitcher Harvey Kuenn, a transfer that was condemned by followers.
Colavito spent 4 seasons with the Tigers earlier than being traded to the Kansas City Athletics in 1964. He was reacquired by Cleveland previous to the 1965 season and spent two and a half seasons with the franchise earlier than being traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1967.
Colavito completed his profession with temporary stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and his hometown Yankees earlier than retiring on the finish of the 1968 season.
In 14 seasons, he hit 374 profession homers and completed within the prime 5 in MVP voting on three events. Colavito is the one participant in Cleveland historical past to hit 4 dwelling runs in a recreation, and shares the MLB document for highest fielding share by an outfielder in a season (1,000).
After retiring, Colavito labored in tv in Cleveland and was on the membership’s teaching workers from 1976 to 1978. He later coached in Kansas City.
Associated Press reporting.
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