Imagine a Mantle, Maris, Colavito OF? Rocky played in both all star games in 1961.
In game two he hit a homer.
Colavito grew up in the Bronx as a devoted fan of the New York Yankees, particularly Joe DiMaggio. By age nine he was playing semipro baseball, and he dropped out of school at age 16 to pursue his career; Major League rules required him to wait until his school class graduated before signing, and only a special appeal allowed him to go pro after a one-year wait. The Yankees expressed little interest in him, and the Philadelphia Athletics had to bow out due to financial problems; the Cleveland Indians finally signed him in 1950, with two-thirds of his signing bonus deferred until he progressed in their system. He spent most of the next six years working his way up. With the Indianapolis Indians in 1954, Colavito would hit 38 home runs and accumulate 116 RBIs
Despite two years of mixed reactions from the fans, the League decided to maintain the doubleheader format splitting the games between two of the most popular ballparks; Candlestick and Fenway.
Although it would turn out to be one of the most exciting and historical seasons in baseball, the fans had not yet fully accepted that baseball legend Babe Ruth's incredible sixty-home run record was legitimately under attack by Yankee teammates, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Both of the M&M boys headed up another roster full of Yankees including starting pitcher Whitey Ford.
The National League maintained a 3-1 lead into the top of the ninth only to have the American League tie the score as Candlestick's trademark winds began to kick up. In the top of the tenth the American League took a 4-3 lead, but the National League came back against the knuckleball master Hoyt Wilhelm. Hank Aaron singled, went to second on a passed ball and tied it on Willie Mays' double. Then, Wilhelm hit Frank Robinson putting runners at first and second. Pirate legend Roberto Clemente singled to right, scoring Mays with the winning run.
Unlike the first game, the second one showcased some classic pitching as the National League only managed five hits and the American League four. The American League scored right off the bat on Rocky Colavito's first-inning homer and later in the sixth, the National League matched them after Eddie Mathews walked and was batted in by Bill White. Unfortunately, this game never reached a decision as it was called after nine innings because of a downpour. It was the first, and until 2002, the only Midsummer Classic that has ever ended in a tie.
Posts
1 comment:
Wasn't Colavito batting in the ninth inning of that All-Star game when Stu Miller was called for the balk that was blamed on the Candlestick wind?
The Yankees signed him in the middle of their mediocre 1968 season. He hit 5 HRs for them as a part-time outfielder, but what I remember the most that he was the winning pitcher in one game. I looked it up on Baseball-Reference.com, which says he entered in the 4th inning of the first game of a doubleheader with one out and two runners on base and the Yankees trailing the [eventual World Series Champion] Tigers 5-0. Rocky got out of the jam and pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings. The Yankees rallied and took a 6-5 lead, which was preserved by three scoreless innings from Dooley Womack and Lindy McDaniel. I don't think he ever pitched in another game.
Post a Comment