Rocky Colavito Centerpiece of Famous Detroit Tigers Trade Passes Away
The baseball world lost another legend this week with the passing of Rocky Colavito on Tuesday. He was 91.
A nine-time All-Star, Colavito was one of the greatest sluggers in MLB history, hammering 374 home runs during his 14-year career from 1955 to 1968. At the time of his retirement, he ranked third all-time in home runs among American League right-handed hitters, behind only Jimmie Foxx and Harmon Killebrew.
While Colavito played for six teams in his career, the hard-throwing and hard-hitting right fielder made his biggest impact with the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians.
In fact, Colavito was famously part of the one of the most lopsided baseball trades ever.
We are saddened to learn of the passing of Rocky Colavito.
— MLB (@MLB) December 11, 2024
Colavito spent 8 of his 14 Major League seasons in Cleveland and was a 9-time All-Star. From 1958-1966, Colavito averaged 35 home runs and 100+ RBI.
On June 10, 1959, he became the 8th player in MLB history to hit 4… pic.twitter.com/rhdvyD9Srm
Colavito debuted with the Indians in late 1955 and immediately became a star, slugging 21 homers and finishing runner-up to Chicago White Sox shortstop (and future Hall of Famer) Luis Aparicio in the 1956 AL Rookie of the Year race.
The Bronx native quickly became a fan favorite in Cleveland, leading the Major Leagues in slugging percentage (.620) in 1958 and pacing the AL in homers (42) in 1959.
After Colavito's first All-Star season in 1959 (he also hit four home runs in a game that year), Indians GM Frank Lane shockingly traded him to the Tigers for reigning AL batting champ Harvey Kuenn.
The move immediately proved disastrous for Cleveland, which still refers to the trade as "The Curse of Rocky Colavito." After posting a winning record in four of Colavito's first five seasons, the Indians didn't have another winning season until Colavito returned in 1965.
Meanwhile, Kuenn played just one season for Cleveland before Lane promptly shipped him to the San Francisco Giants.
Alongside Al Kaline and Norm Cash, Colavito flourished in his four seasons with Detroit. He averaged 35 homers and 108 RBI during his four seasons with the Tigers, making back-to-back All-Star appearances in 1961 and 1962.
The Tigers mourn the passing of former outfielder Rocky Colavito and share our sincere condolences with his family and loved ones.
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) December 11, 2024
A 9-time All-Star, Colavito played for Detroit for four seasons and achieved his career-high of 45 home runs while wearing the Olde English D in… pic.twitter.com/xKhGrJz6i8
Colavito also enjoyed the best season of his career in 1961, establishing personal bests with 7.6 WAR, 45 homers, 129 runs and 140 RBI. Detroit won 101 games but still finished second behind the New York Yankees, who got a record-setting 61 homers from Roger Maris and 54 from Mickey Mantle.
Like many stars of his era, Colavito never made the postseason, retiring right before the playoffs expanded in 1969.
Perhaps fearing that Colavito was in decline, the Tigers dealt him to the Kansas City A's following the 1963 season. Colavito continued to mash, however, belting 34 homers with 102 RBI as an All-Star in his lone season with the A's in 1964.
Colavito was traded back to Cleveland, where he won an RBI title in 1965 and made back-to-back All-Star appearances in 1965 and 1966. His performance rapidly diminished in his mid-30s, however, reducing him to a part-time role in his final two seasons with the Indians, White Sox, Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Colavito remained in baseball after his playing days ended, serving as a broadcaster and coach for Cleveland and the Kansas City Royals. As a Royals coach, he was ejected during George Brett's infamous "pine tar game" against the Yankees in 1983.
While Colavito's sudden decline prevented him from finishing his career with Hall of Fame numbers, he's still remembered by Baby Boomers as one of the best and most popular players of his era.
Many older fans still haven't forgiven Cleveland for trading him away during the heart of his prime, plunging the franchise into a prolonged period of mediocrity.
Perhaps now that Colavito is gone, the curse can finally be lifted.
