He should have been a Twin: Rocky Colavito

Rocky Colavito's flashy name was appropriate for a baseball player who had a dramatic power bat. Rocky would have fit in so nicely with the Minnesota Twins of that era. We were built around power.
Rocky was a native of New York City. He didn't actually play for a New York City team until he was in decline. The Yankees were his last team.
Not that his brief tenure with the Yankees was uneventful. He had an oddball accomplishment: he became the last position player until Brent Mayne in 2000 to be credited as the winning pitcher in a game. Rocky tossed 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. He handled Al Kaline and Willie Horton. Not only that, Rocky scored the winning run for the Yanks in the eighth inning. This was game 1 of a doubleheader. (Doubleheaders were more common back then - I loved them because they were a clear "2-fer.") Rocky homered in game 2 of the doubleheader.
The year was 1968, which incidentally was "the year of the pitcher." I once wrote a whole blog post on "the year of the pitcher," 1968, that tumultuous year in American politics and society. You may read it by clicking on this link.
http://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2013/10/1968-year-of-pitcher-it-had-to-be.html
 
I also once wrote an extended essay on the life and career of Rocco "Rocky" Colavito. Here's the link to that:
http://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2015/10/rocky-colavito-couldnt-get-into.html
 
Today I have some poetry/lyrics to share, devoted to that exciting power hitter, Rocky Colavito, who played most of his career with small market teams. He would have looked great in a Twins uniform.

You will see a "chorus" designated as part of the poetry, suitable for a song. The verse portion could be presented as narration with no melody. Here we go:

 
A guy whose name inspired awe

A better name could not be bought

Boxers would embrace that name

Knowing it could bring them fame
 

Baseball was our hero's sport

Lots of runs he did uncork

Drawing cheers from massive throngs

They watched as his bat went long
 

They would rave and they would sing

When ol' Rocky did his thing

Colavito in his stance

Made the pitchers wet their pants
 

CHORUS:

Rocky Colavito, where the heck did you go?

We still have the mem-ry of your baseball majesty

Rocky Colavito, you put on a big show

With that bat you hit the ball as far as I could see
 

"Rocco" was his given name

Might the mafia be his game?

No, he found a wholesome path

Causing earthquakes with his bat
 

Rocky was the name we coined

In his fan club I did join

No he was no flying squirrel

He was just a baseball pearl
 

Had he played in NYC

He'd reach immortality

Far from all that nonstop hype

Rocky was the low-key type
 

'60s were a time of woe

Viet Nam would make it so

Plus the fight in southern states

For the rights that make us great
 

All along we still had fun

Keeping sadness on the run

This we did in bleacher seats

Watching Rocky clear his cleats
 

Then he'd stride up to the plate

Wielding lumber, feeling great

Knowing all that splendor there

Wiped away your mortal cares
 

(repeat chorus)
 

Aiming for the left field seats

Seeking further baseball feats

Smiling from a baseball card

You just knew this guy played hard
 

Rocky won a hero's role

Winning was his daily goal

Fans in Cleveland raved and buzzed

As they watched this game they loved

 
Rocky synthesized their hopes

A rising tide to lift all boats

Still the Yankees were a curse

Damn the team with that big purse
 

Cleveland would appear so grand

At the top - strike up the band!

It's just a product of our dreams

Passing fancy, passing screams
 

Fans in every baseball town

Have the right to smile or frown

Mostly we set goals too high

That's our birthright, my oh my
 

Rocky had the stuff to thrill

Plus the name for that top bill

He was worth the price to come

Win or lose, we had such fun
 

(repeat chorus)
 

Copyright 2016 Brian R. Williams