Cleveland, Ohio was once home to a baseball legend, Rocky Colavito. He was an accomplished slugger who led the American League in home runs and was widely loved by the public. However, a fateful trade would change the course of his career and that of the Cleveland Indians.

The Trade that Shook Cleveland Baseball

Early Years and Baseball Hero

Rocky Colavito was born in New York City's Bronx on August 10, 1933. His hero was Joe DiMaggio, the Yankees' centerfielder. Colavito tried to mimic DiMaggio's ballfield movements, which gave him a distinct presence. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, he looked like a natural in a baseball uniform. He developed a slow, dramatic trot after hitting a homer and would excitedly shake hands with everyone in the dugout.Colavito's physical abilities were remarkable. He was generally considered to have the strongest arm in the American League, reportedly throwing a ball 435 feet in an exhibition. He credited his older brother, Vito, with strengthening his arm from a young age. At 16, he quit school to pursue a career in professional baseball and received a tryout from the Yankees at 17. The Yankees wanted to sign him, but he chose the Indians because their scout, Mike McNally, was nicer to him.

The First Big Break

Colavito's playing career took off in 1958. He spent the winter working in his father-in-law's packing house, loading baskets of mushrooms on trucks. But his obsession with hitting led him to swing a bat 30 times a night in his living room and do a lot of pushups. This hard work paid off when he had what many consider to be his best season. Playing 143 games, he slugged 41 homers, drove in 113 runs, hit.303, and led the American League in slugging at.620. He came in third in the Most Valuable Player vote and was named the Indians Man of the Year.Manager Joe Gordon, who took over the Indians when Bobby Bragan was fired midway through the 1958 season, played a big role in Colavito's success. Gordon convinced Colavito to cut down his swing, and his self-confidence soared. He also utilized Colavito's powerful arm in a relief stint, pitching three scoreless innings against the Tigers.

The Memorable Game in Baltimore

In 1959, Colavito had the game of his career in Baltimore. He was three-for-28 at the start of the game but bounced back with a home run in the third inning off Jerry Walker. He then hit two more homers in the fifth and sixth innings. When he went up to bat in the ninth against Ernie Johnson, he was just hoping for a single. But he hit another homer, putting him into the record books. The Baltimore fans gave him a standing ovation, and he trotted around the bases and jumped on home plate with both feet. He had six RBI in the 11-8 victory.

The Disastrous Trade

Two days before the 1960 baseball season began, the Indians' general manager, "Frantic" Frank Lane, traded Colavito to Detroit for batting champion Harvey Kuenn. The fans were furious, and season attendance fell by 546,000. The trade broke up the good 1959 club and began a downward spiral for the Indians, plunging them into more than 30 years of losing.Colavito never forgave Lane. When Lane died in 1981, Colavito said, "Let him rest in peace, but he loved to see his name in the papers. He was an egomaniac."

Continued Success in Detroit

In Detroit, Colavito kept hitting. In 1961, he pounded 45 homers and reached his career high in RBI with 140. He hit four homers in a doubleheader with Washington and had many other memorable performances. But the trade still haunted him.

The Return to Cleveland

On January 20, 1965, general manager Gabe Paul brought Colavito back to Cleveland in a three-way deal. He again came through in Cleveland, leading the league in RBI with 108 and rapping 26 homers. He was named Indians Man of the Year for the second time.

The End of a Career

After retiring, Colavito was a coach for Kansas City and the Indians. He was an Indians telecaster in the 1970s and also had a mushroom farm. In 2001, he was named one of the top 100 Cleveland players of all time.On August 10, 2021, on his 88th birthday, Colavito returned to Cleveland for the unveiling of a statue honoring him at Tony Brush Park in Little Italy. Hundreds of people turned out to show their respect for the baseball legend.