Biography rocky colavito

On May 12, 1961, the Detroit Tigers were visiting New York to start a four-game series at Yankee Stadium. Although the season was only a month old, the Tigers held a two-and-a-half-game lead over the Yankees and were eager to send a message to the defending American League champions.

As the eighth inning came to a close, Tigers left fielder Rocky Colavito returned to the third base dugout. Colavito, a native of the Bronx and a fan of the Yankees while growing up, always had a large rooting section whenever he returned home. As he neared the dugout, his custom was to look up at the stands to acknowledge his family and friends.

On this particular night, Colavito looked up at the stands and saw his father in a tussle with another fan. “I always look up there,” Colavito explained, “and when I saw my father struggling with somebody, I went right over the rail. My father is 60, and nobody is going to hit him while I’m there.” Colavito rocketed into the stands to come to his father’s defense, bowling over ticket holders as he went.

Detroit trainer Jack Homel led a posse of Detroit players to retrieve Colavito. “Some big son-of-a-gun got a hold of my back,” Colavito said of his uniform jersey. “But I shook him

•