Rocky Colavito, nine-time MLB All-Star, dead at 91
Rocky Colavito, a nine-time MLB All-Star and 14-year big league veteran, died on Tuesday.
He was 91.
The Guardians expressed their sympathy in a statement on social media, writing about his importance to the Cleveland franchise that he played with for eight years over two stints.
“The Cleveland Guardians are deeply saddened by the loss of Rocky Colavito. Beloved by fans, Rocky spent eight of his fourteen MLB seasons with Cleveland. He represented the club in three All-Star Games while finishing top-5 in MVP voting on three occasions. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends during this time.”
Born in The Bronx in 1933, Colavito attended Theodore Roosevelt High School before dropping out to play semi-pro baseball, eventually signing a pro contract with the then-Cleveland Indians as a 17-year-old in 1951.
He made his big league debut in 1955, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting before becoming one of the premier power hitters of the ’50s and ’60s.
In 1958 and 1959, Colavito smashed a combined 83 homers, leading the American League with 42 round-trippers in the latter season.
After being dealt to Detroit before the 1960 season, the outfielder had arguably his finest season in 1961, when he set career highs with 45 homers and 140 RBIs.
pitch before the the team’s game against the Angels in a 2013 game. AP
Colavito’s career came full circle in its twilight, as he signed with the Yankees to play his final 39 big league games in 1968, slugging five more homers with his hometown club.
He finished his career with 374 long balls, getting MVP votes in six different seasons.