Italian Heritage Month: Rocco Dominico Colavito

During the 1960s, New York Yankees’ fans rooted for Mickey Mantle, St. Louis Cardinals boosters pulled for Stan Musial, and Cleveland Indians cranks loved Rocco Dominico Colavito.

Throughout the bulk of his Major League career from 1955-1968, Colavito, nicknamed “Socco,” was a fearsome presence at the plate. For 11 consecutive seasons, Rocky exceeded 20 home runs and topped the 40-homer mark three times. During Cleveland's 11-8 victory at Baltimore on June 10, 1959, Colavito became the eighth player to smack four homers in a game and accomplished the feat in consecutive at bats.

[Today, the total of players who have hit four homers in a single game is 18. For historians, here’s the complete list along with their team affiliation: National League, Bobby Lowe*, Boston Beaneaters; Ed Delahanty, Phillies; Chuck Klein**, Phillies; Gil Hodges, Brooklyn Dodgers, Joe Adcock, Milwaukee Braves, Willie Mays, New York Giants; Mike Schmidt**, Phillies; Bob Horner, Atlanta Braves; Mark Whiten, Cardinals, Shawn Green, Los Angeles Dodgers; Scooter Gennett*, Reds; J.D. Martinez, Diamondbacks; Eugenio Suarez*, Diamondbacks; Kyle Schwarber, Phillies. American League: Colavito*, Lou Gehrig*, Yankees; Pat Seerey**, White Sox; Mike Cameron*, Mariners, Carlos Delgado*, Blue Jays; Josh Hamilton, Rangers; Nick Kurtz, Oakland Athletics. *=home runs hit consecutive at bats; ** extra innings.]

Born to Italian immigrants in Yankee Stadium’s shadow, Colavito grew up idolizing fellow Italian Joe DiMaggio. When the Cleveland Indians signed him to a Class D Florida State minor league contract, Rocky requested his hero’s uniform #5. Promoted to the Indians in 1958, Colavito, because of his movie star good looks and home run hitting prowess, quickly became Cleveland’s most popular player. As he stepped into the batter’s box, Colavito pointed his stick directly at the pitcher as if to warn him that trouble was on the way. "I thought, every pitch, he seemed to be going for downtown," said left-hander Al Downing, who faced Colavito regularly while pitching for the Yankees in the 1960s. "He swung that hard."

Two days before Opening Day 1960, Indians’ fans woke up to shocking news. Their beloved Rocky who led the league the previous season with 42 home runs, 41doubles, and knocked in 111, had been traded to rival Detroit Tigers for six-time All-Star Harvey Kueen, 1959’s leading batter, .353, who also topped the doubles and hits chart, with 42 and 198. Furious fans took to the street to hang General Manager Frank “Trader” Lane in effigy and staged a mock funeral procession outside Municipal Stadium. Lane, who earned the nickname for making more than 400 trades in his career as Cardinals, White Sox, Indians, and Athletics, G.M. thought home runs were overrated, defended his decision, “I swapped a hamburger for a steak.” In Detroit, fans and media were overjoyed at the acquisition of Colavito. “The Tigers lost 30 games by one run last season due to the lack of a long ball hitter,” said Edgar Hayes, Detroit Times sports editor. Colavito continued his furious home run barrage for the Tigers, hitting 139 more in four seasons. Kueen hit a disappointing .308 and, during the off-season, was shipped to the San Francisco Giants. In1965, Colavito returned to Cleveland to reward his fans with a stellar season---26 HRs and a league-leading 108 RBIs. As a bonus, Rocky played a flawless outfield; he started all 162 games without committing a single error. Still slugging in 1966, “Socco” bashed 30 homers, but at age 32, his production was on the wane. Rocky’s last season as an active player was 1968, and he closed out his career with 374 home runs, 13 more than his idol Di Maggio. Five years later, when Colavito became Hall of Fame eligible, the Baseball Writers Association passed him over despite his offensive production and his nine-time All-Star game election. But if he were a candidate today, in an era where HOF standards have been dramatically watered down, Colavito’s induction chances would be good.

In 2021, on Colavito’s 88th birthday, the Indians honored Rocky by erecting a statue in his honor in Cleveland’s Little Italy section. Hundreds of fans turned out to pay a final tribute to the now-wheelchair bound Rocky. After years of having type-two diabetes, doctors amputated Colavito’s right leg below his knee. Colavito died at age 91 on his 88-acre Bernville, PA mushroom farm.

Joe Guzzardi is a Society for American Baseball Research member. Contact him at guzzjoe@yahoo.com