WHY I THINK ROCKY COLAVITO SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN
By- Damien
Rocky Colavito was one of the top sluggers of the 1950’s and 1960’s. His home run feats include four in one game, 374 in a career, and seven seasons with 30 or more. Colavito was not simply a power hitter, however, as he set the standard for fielding by an outfielder with a perfect 1.000 in 1965, and went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a pair of strikeouts in 5 ⅔ innings across two relief appearances. He first pitched in a game because he threw so hard that he needed a catcher with a padded mitt to warm him up each day. One of his catchers said that he threw harder than anybody, including Herb Score and Ryne Duren. Manager Joe Gordon once said of Colavito, “He’s my rightfielder, period. But I’ll tell you this. As a pitcher, he’d be a 20 game winner. He has the greatest arm I ever saw.” Rocky Colavito started his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1955, batting .444 in five games. He hit 21 home runs in 1956, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year Award voting. He followed up with 25 in 1957 and had one of his best seasons to date in 1958, when he batted .303 with 41 home runs and 113 RBI’s in only 489 at bats and led the Majors in slugging percentage. That big season started a five year stretch in which he averaged exactly 40 home runs per season. When he was traded to the Tigers in 1960, Cleveland fans were infuriated. Their reactions were more enthusiastic than any other, proving that he was one of the most beloved local superstars in MLB history. Further, he was voted the most memorable player in Indians history in 1976. At any rate, he excelled in Detroit, hitting 45 home runs with 140 (!) RBI’s in 163 games in 1961. In 1965, Colavito drove in 100 runs for the sixth time, led the AL for the first time with 108 (his second lowest total among his 100 RBI seasons), and set his fielding record, playing in a Cleveland uniform once more. In 1966, he was named to his ninth all-star team and hit 30 homers for the final time, but after this he quickly declined. He had 16 homers left to split between four teams across his final two seasons, and played his last game in 1968 as a member of the Yankees. Rocky Colavito was a tremendous power hitter, a fine outfielder, a big time gate attraction (providing financial value to his club owners), and even a great pitcher. His batting statistics in the low offense 1960’s give him a decent Hall of Fame case, but the second criterion in the Hall of Fame voting is playing ability. His strong arm, tape measure home runs, and pitching performances are a great testament to how good a baseball player he really was.
LIFETIME STATISTICS
Games career: 1,841 season high: 163 in 1961 led AL: 163 in 1961, 162 in 1965
At Bats career: 6,503 season high: 601 in 1962
Hits career: 1,730 season high: 170 in 1965
Doubles career: 283 season high: 31 in 1964
Triples career: 21 season high: 4 in 1956
Home Runs career: 374 season high: 45 in 1961 led AL: 42 in 1959
Runs career: 971 season high: 129 in 1961
Runs Batted In career: 1,159 season high: 140 in 1961 led AL: 108 in 1965
Stolen Bases career: 19 season high: 3 in 1959, 1960, 1964, and 1967
Walks career: 951 season high: 113 in 1961 led AL: 93 in 1965
Strikeouts career: 880 season high: 89 in 1958
Batting Average career: .266 season high: .303 in 1958
On Base Percentage career: .359 season high: .405 in 1958
Slugging Percentage career: .489 season high: .620 in 1958 led AL: .620 in 1958
Total Bases career: 3,177 season high: 338 in 1961 led AL: 301 in 1959, 309 in 1962
Sacrifice Hits career: 16 season high: 4 in 1956 and 1957
Fielding Percentage career: .979 season high: 1.000 in 1965 led AL LF: .992 in 1962, .993 in 1963 led AL RF: 1.000 in 1965 led AL OF: 1.000 in 1965
Double Plays career: 31 season high: 6 in 1958 led AL RF: 6 in 1958, 5 in 1960
Putouts career: 3,407 season high: 359 in 1962 led AL RF: 266 in 1957, 311 in 1959, 272 in 1960 led AL LF: 301 in 1961, 359 in 1962
Assists career: 124 season high: 16 in 1961 led AL RF: 9 in 1960 led AL LF: 14 in 1961
DID YOU KNOW?
-nicknamed “The Rock”
-finished third in the AL MVP Award voting in 1958, fourth in 1959, fifth in 1965, eighth in 1961, 16th in 1962, and 23rd in 1964
-was a Sporting News all-star in 1961
-had three career home runs and eight RBI’s in all-star play
-had two career three homer games (not including his four homer game)
-went 7-for-10 in one game on June 24, 1962
-had eleven consecutive seasons with at least 20 home runs
-was the first Indian ever to hit more than 40 home runs in back to back seasons
-homered in his first at bat as a Yankee
-led the AL five times in games in the outfield, twice in extra-base hits, and once each in plate appearances, times on base, and home run percentage
-led AL rightfielders in games five times and led AL leftfielders twice
-among MLB rightfielders, ranks 48th in career games and 50th in putouts
-among MLB leftfielders, ranks 39th in career fielding percentage
-also played eleven games at first base and 67 as a pinch hitter
-was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in 2006
His early decline leaves him a bit short of Hall of Fame standards, but he was a great one for sure.
ReplyDeleteWhen Vic Power was managing Frank Howard in the Dominican Winter League, he had Frank Howard as a relief pitcher. Frank intimidated everyone because he was huge, and threw hard, but the Dodgers told Vic to get him off the mound. Why am I telling this story? Because at first I thought it was about Colivato, and even though it isn't I think it's a good story. Oh well.