By happy chance, I stumbled tonight onto a story on Cleveland.com about one of the great occasions in Cleveland Indians’ history, the night 50 years ago when Rocky Colavito slugged four home runs against the Orioles in Baltimore. That was June 10, 1959.
I wish I could say I remember the game, but I was only two years old at the time. The Rock’s performance is legendary in Cleveland history, and it was part of the Gospel of Baseball my father imparted to me.
The names Colavito (Rocco Domenico), Francona (Tito) and Minoso (Minnie) were among the first I learned after “Mommy” and “Daddy.” For years, Mom would laugh recalling my efforts to pronounce Minoso, which apparently came out something like “Mimoso.”
Colavito was my favorite player, always. I have no doubt that I cried, as many Clevelanders did, when Rocky was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Harvey Kuenn. But the Tribe got Rocky back a few years later, an event I still count among my greatest sports memories. (We post-’48 Clevelanders have to grab on to what we can, understand?)
The Ball Caps Blog 
Hi … LOVE your story. I hope you won’t mind if I post it to our ‘new’ site, Rocky Colavito Fans. I also hope you’ll visit. We also just started to circulate a Petition to send to the Veteran’s Commitee of the Hall of Fame urging them to give Rocky the nod in 2010.
Please take a minute to sign the petition and pass it on to any fans you may know.
Again, your story is great! and your blog is very cool.
Gloria Gilmartin
Petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rockycolavitofans
Hi again …. omygosh! it’s snowing on your home page!! How awesome is that!
Want to thank you again for helping get the Rocky page off the ground. My computer and I were both on a temporary disabled list for a few months and now are planning to campaign like crazy so Rocky makes the cut next year for the HOF Class of 2011.
Just sropping by with a quick HI and to wish you happy holidays.
gloria
Ooops. Forgot. Here’s a link to the (new)website: http://www.rockycolavitofans.com
I dropped the blog and opened a webpage.
Hope you visit soon. Thanks. (g)