Rocky was my very favorite ballplayer when I was growing up. Loved his hitting, his arm in right, and even his occasional relief pitching! Lots of good memories.
One of my closest friend in the late 50s was a Detroit fan who idolized Kaline. We would incessantly argue about who was the better player. (Hindsight has given me a better perspective).
When I heard that Trader Lane had dealt Colavito to Detroit, I was sure it was for Kaline. I was shocked when all he could get was a punch-and-judy hitter (no real disrespect intended to Kuenn). To have Colavito AND Kaiine in Detroit was too much to bear and turned me off to Lane FOREVER!
I also remember reading an article about how upset Colavito was when Score took that shot off his face off the bat of Gil McDougal on May 5, 1957. I was listening to that game live in my bedroom and was stunned when I saw a "post-injury" picture of Score in the Sporting News the next week.
Speaking of the Sporting News, one more memory to share: After Colavito hit his four home runs, the newspaper had a picture with the outfielders superimposed in the grandstands to "catch" his homers.
Last edited by flkersn; 08-13-2021 at 10:27 AM.
|