Legendary MLB All-Star Rocky Colavito, who played for the Cleveland Guardians, has died at 91. He passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Tuesday at his home in Bernville, PA, Guardians spokesperson Bob DiBiaso confirmed in a statement.
“Our collective hearts ache at the passing of Rocky,” DiBiasio said in a statement. “Rocky was a generational hero, one of the most popular players in franchise history. His popularity was evident across Northeast Ohio as sandlot ballplayers everywhere imitated Rocky's on-deck circle routine of kneeling, then as he stepped into the batter's box the stretching the bat over the shoulders and pointing the bat at the pitcher.”
New York native Colavito was a nine-time MLB All-Star who began his career with Cleveland in 1933, at the tender age of 17, following a mass tryout at Yankee Stadium. He made his major-league debut with the Guardians in 1955. In 1960, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for pitcher Harvey Kuenn. The decision enraged fans, who had embraced Colavito as a Cleveland icon. After a tenure with Kansas City Athletics, Colavito returned to Cleveland ahead of the 1965 season.
Colavito remains the only player in Cleveland’s history to hit four home runs in a single game, which he achieved on June 10, 1959. He hit 374 home runs throughout his 14 seasons with the MLB and thrice placed in MVP voting’s top five. After leaving the MLB, Colavito worked as a coach in Kansas City and made appearances as a commentator in Cleveland.
