Pluto's too good a writer to just poke fun at the ridiculous; he also shapes all of these "characters" into real people. "He (Rocky Colavito) was everything a ballplayer should be. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Good writing from Mr. Pluto. Anybody can have an off-decade. He's pretty frank and brutally honest in it. Colavito was a hard hitting outfielder for the Tribe in the 1950s. His ultimate conclusion: an amazing string of coincidences and bad trades had more to do with the slump than Colavito. Seeing that many others give out 4s and 5s with wreckless abandon, I simply choose not to give out stars unless I REALLY like something. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Curse of Rocky Colavito : A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump by Terry Pluto (1994, Hardcover) at the best online prices at eBay! In 1994, Cleveland sportswriter Terry Pluto wrote abest selling book entitled The Curse of Rocky Colavito. Top players who left for greener pastures, Rocky Colavito, Luis Tiant, Dennis Eckersley. I moved to Cleveland well after the curse had been (mostly?) This is how it was for the Cleveland Indians of the 1960's through to the 1980's. Before being traded away for Harvey Kuenn in 1960, he was solidly the fan favorite […] Its origin is traced back to the unpopular trade of right fielder Rocky Colavito for Harvey Kuenn in 1960. Naturally, the trade backfired and kicked off a period of baseball that saw the Indians finish higher than fourth place only once from 1960 to 1993. As a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I can appreciate the frustration. -, Indians Lookback: Grady Sizemore, a Generational Talent Without a Prime, Cleveland Indians all-time team: Thome, Belle, Lofton give lineup plenty of '90s flavor -, Cleveland Indians one of 27 MLB teams participating in coronavirus study - cleveland.com, Will threat of coronavirus turn off the spigot on MLB spitters? I rarely give a book any stars at all, but mostly because I tend to start at 2.5 and figure the author has to push me one way or another. Terry Pluto is a sports columnist for the, Readers' Most Anticipated Books of February. Its origin is traced back to the unpopular trade of right fielder Rocky Colavito for Harvey Kuenn in 1960. This led to a belief that Rocky Colavito may have put a curse on the Cleveland Indians. Reading about decades of mediocrity is usually more interesting than writing about winners. Other teams lose players to injuries; the Indians lose them to alcoholism (Sam McDowell), a nervous breakdown (Tony Horton), and the pro golf tour (Ken Harrelson - okay, so it was only for a little while). There are great pictures of players who might be legends, if not for alcohol, prejudice, bad judgment, or injury. For Indians fans it will be painful, but perhaps cathartic. He was the type of player you just don't trade, especially not for a three-years-older singl It's enough to make you believe in the supernatural. Rocky also helped his father-in-law run his mushroom farm near Reading, Pennsylvania. Curse of Rocky Colavito: | |The Curse of Rocky Colavito| is a phenomenon that supposedly prevents the |Clevelan... World Heritage Encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most definitive collection ever assembled. Baseball fans love nicknames, especially when they fit." The “curse” of Rocky Colavito began 60 years ago, with the Rock on first base. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Curse of Rocky Colavito : A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump by Terry Pluto (2007, Perfect) at … Lots of funny stories mixed in with the tragedies of Tony Horton, Max Alvis, Steve Olin, etc. Curse or Coincidence? Cleveland fans may already be cringing at any recollection of “The Curse Of Rocky Colavito,” which was the title of a 1994 book by longtime Cleveland sportswriter Terry Pluto. Free shipping for many products! Well, in recent years, it has dampened a little with the Indians “rebuilding years” of the past two decades. Excellent book about how heartbreaking it used to be to be a Cleveland Indians fan. Colavito grew up in the Bronx as a devoted fan of the New York Yankees, particularly Joe DiMaggio. April 1st 2007 Colavito’s departure was a crushing blow to Indians fans and the team’s subsequent 34–year slump was dubbed “the Curse of Colavito.” Pluto's too good a writer to just poke fun at the ridiculous; he also shapes all of these "characters" into real people. In the thirteen years before the trade, the Indians finished above .500 twelve times, and were first, second, or third in the league nine times. Matinee idols abound: Joe Charbonneau, Duane Kuiper, Rick Manning. I moved to Cleveland well after the curse had been (mostly?) The Curse of Rocky Colavito What Is a Curse? I am a tad biased being a life-long Tribe fan though so take what I say with a grain of salt. The Indians. Be the first to ask a question about Curse of Rocky Colavito. When it was erected in 1901, Philadelphia City Hall, topped with a statue of … 60 years ago, the Cleveland Indians traded Rocky Colavito while he was standing on first base! Curse of Rocky Colavito quantity. The Curse of Rocky Colavito is a phenomenon that supposedly prevents the Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise from winning, be it the World Series, the American League (AL) pennant, reaching postseason play, or even getting into a pennant race. It became known as “The Curse of Rocky Colavito.” Despite the trade, Rocky kept on slugging. The Curse of Billy Penn. Fun book to read. In the 1990's the Indians finally found success, making it to two World Series (losing both). "The Curse of Rocky Colavito" is an interesting and informative book. He is the author of more than 30 books, including The Curse of Rocky Colavito (selected by the New York Times as one of the five notable sports books of 1989), and Loose Balls, which was ranked number 13 on Sports Illustrated’s list of the top 100 sports books of all time. Cleveland Indians all-time team: Thome, Belle, Lofton give lineup plenty of '90s flavor - CBSSports.com - We're picking a 'Baseball Stars' lineup for each team during April. Hey, Hoynsie - cleveland.com - baseball players, coaches and managers spitting in a dugout is a common, if not unpleasant, sight. Its origin is traced back to the unpopular trade of right fielder Rocky Colavito to the Detroit Tigers for Harvey Kuenn in 1960. To see what your friends thought of this book, Curse of Rocky Colavito: A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump, One of my favourite baseball books. But just a little. The Curse of Rocky Colavito is a phenomenon that supposedly prevents the Cleveland Indians baseball team from winning, be it the World Series, the American League pennant, reaching postseason play, or even getting into a pennant race. He was young, strong, rugged, popular, and coming off back-to-back 40 home run/100 RBI seasons. This book tells the tale of the long hard climb back to respectability. lifted, but I can appreciate this tale of years of stupidity, immaturity, and greed. Plus a whole lot of bad luck. Pluto's explanation was that the trade of Colavito by the Indians in 1960 sent the team on a path to mediocrity that lasted more than three decades. The Rocky Colavito trade would begin an era of misery in Cleveland as they would spend the next 35 years wallowing in baseball purgatory as they never finished closer than ten games from first place. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published News and Notes for Thursday, April 16, 2020. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Pluto has plenty of behind the scenes gossip and enough entertaining stories to tell to keep the book moving along. How did the Curse of Rocky Colavito Begin? This is how it was for the Cleveland Indians of the 1960's through to the 1980's. Two outfielders. Will threat of coronavirus turn off the spigot on MLB spitters? Cleveland signs Ben Gamel to minor-league deal, The 28-year-old will also receive an invite to spring training, Cleveland Indians prospects & minor leagues, 60 years ago, the Cleveland Indians traded Rocky Colavito while he was standing on first base! June 1964: Third baseman Max Alvis has an attack of spinal meningitis on a team flight. September 1961: Fireballer Sam McDowell, in his first major league start, breaks two ribs throwing a fastball. But. No sports fans suffered more miserable teams for more seasons than Indians fans of the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s. By age nine he was playing semipro baseball, and he dropped out of high 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. Top players who left for greener pastures, Rocky Colavito, Luis Tiant, Dennis Eckersley. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. He was young, strong, rugged, popular, and coming off back-to-back 40 home run/100 RBI seasons. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. I especially liked reading about Mudcat Grant, Andre Thornton, "Super Joe" Charboneau and Sudden Sam McDowell. The author also examines the controversial trade that sent Colavito, the AL’s 1959 home run champion, to the Detroit Tigers for batting champion Harvey Kuenn. The franchise also suffered from bad luck and very unfortunate circumstances during this time. But three? April 1960: Cleveland trades Rocky Colavito for Harvey Kuenn. Colavito later served on Tribe teammate Dick Howser‘s coaching staff in 1982 and 1983 when Howser managed the Kansas City Royals. Plus a whole lot of bad luck. Other teams make deals to improve the ballclub; the Indians had to trade young Dennis Eckersley because his wife had fallen in love with hisbest friend and teammate, Rick Manning. Very interesting stories. Through long years of trials and tribulations that would have tested Job, the Indians' faithful have continued to come to huge, drafty Cleveland Stadium. Indians Lookback: Grady Sizemore, a Generational Talent Without a Prime - Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore spent time as the face of the franchise during a down period in the mid 2000's. He ends just before the Tribe's exciting mid-90s resurgence. Welcome back. Now, the legend – not the curse – of Rocky Colavito lives in the record books and will forever be part of baseball history in Indianapolis. I could see this book pissing off more than a few people who's names came up in it unfavorably. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. A baseball classic. The. Hands down, the best sports book I've ever read. The Cleveland Indians were surely tempting the fates when they traded away Rocky Colavito. Terry Pluto, a great Cleveland sports writer, focuses on that long dark era between the 1960s and early 1990s. There are great pictures of players who might be legends, if not for alcohol, prejudice, bad judgment, or injury. Hardcover, 9780671869083, 0671869086 The Yankees expressed little interest in him, and the Philadelphia Athleticshad to bow out due to financial problems; the Indians finally signed him in … But for a generation? although they’ve played in three World Series Championships since 1995, they still haven’t won one. The Curse of Rocky Colavito is a jinx that is believed to prevent the Cleveland Indians from achieving success at different levels of play. Matinee idols abound: Joe Charbonneau, Duane Kuiper, Rick Manning. THE CURSE OF ROCKY COLAVITO: A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump User Review - Kirkus The Cleveland Indians have been so bad for the past three decades … One of my favourite baseball books. He also suggested, that the … He was young, strong, rugged, popular, and coming off back-to-back 40 home run/100 RBI seasons. In 1994, Terry Pluto, who covered the Cleveland Indians for The Plain Dealer in the 1980s and became the top sports columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal (but returned to The Plain Dealer in 2007), published The Curse of Rocky Colavito, a bookthat tried to explain why the Indians had not come within even 11 games of first place since 1959. This book tells the tale of the long har. The Curse of Rocky Colavito A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump Terry Pluto $ 18.95. The Curse of Rocky Colavito is a phenomenon that supposedly prevents the Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise from winning, be it the World Series, the … This book had me laughing out loud on more than a few occasions. The Curse of Rocky Colavito is a phenomenon that supposedly prevents the Cleveland Indians baseball team from winning, be it the World Series, the American League pennant, reaching postseason play, or even getting into a pennant race. You do not want to be cursed. He was the type of player you just don't trade, especially not for a three-years-older singl, Anybody can have an off-decade. Pluto understands the fierce attachment Tribe fans feel for their team, because he's. Curse of Rocky Colavito: A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump by Terry Pluto. Ah, those lovable Cleveland Indians and their Mistake by the Lake. The author also examines the controversial trade that sent Colavito, the AL’s 1959 home run champion, to the Detroit Tigers for batting champion Harvey Kuenn. If you are a Cleveland sports fan or a MLB fanatic you should read this book. Other teams bask in the glow when a young star plays in the All-Star Game in his first full season; the Indians saw catcher Ray Fosse's career derailed by a homeplate collision with Pete Rose in the 1970 midsummer classic. Allegedly. In the spring of 1960, former Tribe General Manager Frank Lane shipped Colavito to … Any diehard Indians' baseball fan that grew up in the 50's and or 60's will relate to this book, tracking the Indians' streak of bad luck, poor ownership, etc... starting with the trade of Rocky Colavito just prior to the 1960 season. An insightful, although sometimes dry, "loving look at a thirty year slump." Click here for the lowest price! by Gray & Company Publishers, Curse of Rocky Colavito: A Loving Look at a Thirty-year Slump. Its origin is traced back to the unpopular trade of right fielder Rocky Colavito for Harvey Kuenn in 1960. It's time to get in that last stretch of winter reading and prepare our Want to Read shelves for spring. - cleveland.com - Right before the 1960 season, Cleveland Indians General Manager Frank Lane traded Rocky Colavito to Detroit. We’d love your help. In the thirty-three years since the trade, they've finished above .500 six times, and were in the top three in their league just once (never finishing as high as third in their division). Curse Of Rocky Colavito. 9 people found this helpful And with it, "The Curse of Colavito" is visited upon the Indians. Probably more for diehard sports fans. Cleveland Indians one of 27 MLB teams participating in coronavirus study - cleveland.comMLB is participating in a study to help track the spread of the coronavirus in the United States. But three? Excellent book about how heartbreaking it used to be to be a Cleveland Indians fan. The Cleveland Indians were surely tempting the fates when they traded away Rocky Colavito. I found it somewhat interesting. lifted, but I can appreciate this tale of years of stupidity, immaturity, and greed. He was the type of player you just don't trade, especially not for a three-years-older singles hitter, even if Harvey Kuenn had just won the American League batting title. One afternoon. Colavito’s departure was a crushing blow to Indians fans and the team’s subsequent 34–year slump was dubbed “the Curse of Colavito.” Interesting time to read this book, since some of our Cleveland Indians were fighting their way through slumps! Nice history of a era (1960-1994) and a team that is largely forgotten. The curse of Rocky Colavito? The Cleveland Indians were surely tempting the fates when they traded away Rocky Colavito. He was sent to Kansas City in 1964 and after a single season with the A’s, … The Curse of Rocky Colavito is a phenomenon that supposedly prevents the Cleveland Indians baseball team from winning, be it the World Series, the American League pennant, reaching postseason play, or even getting into a pennant race. Hey, Hoynsie -, Projecting the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues Part II, N&N: Aaron Civale’s sneaky good curveball, Cleveland releases 2021 regular season schedule, N&N: Royals land Andrew Benintendi in three-team deal. With the sharp-edged wit and keen eye for detail that have made him Cleveland's favorite sportswriter, Terry Pluto looks at the strange goings-on of the past thirty-plus years, unusual occurrences that could only be the result of some cosmic plan. Good book to accompany me into the stretch run of the Indians pennant race. The curse is tied to the unpopular 1960 trade of Rocky Colavito to the Detroit Tigers. Start by marking “Curse of Rocky Colavito: A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Sixty years later, the trade still angers Colavito and his fans. Reading about decades of mediocrity is usually more interesting than writing about winners. Add to cart. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. It was cool to get an inside glimpse of baseball ownership and management, their impact on teams, and some Tribe history. It's enough to make you believe in the supernatural. But spitting takes on a new meaning with the coronavirus. The “curse” of Rocky Colavito began 60 years ago, with the Rock on first base. It does not seek any universal truths, but it does entertain and offer some insight. Rocky Colavito, the curse's namesake, was a popular Cleveland player when he was traded in 1960.Colavito did not place the curse, but the Indians have not won the World Series since the controversial trade. Injuries as well as inconsistency set Sizemore back, and eventually the center fielder was just another footnote in the history of the team of a player who never reached his full potential. Colavito is nearly as well-known for being traded as his home runs. Sixty years of “The Curse of Rocky Colavito”, Cleveland sign Billy Hamilton to minor-league deal. Rocky Colavito, considered one of the best baseball players the Indians had ever seen, was traded abruptly by "Trader" Lane -- and hence Cleveland has been cursed since. Best of all, he had a nickname. I esp. A season to remember?! Refresh and try again. A curse is the opposite of a blessing. Pluto's also too good a writer not to include some cheap laughs and a little sentiment. In the 1990's the Indians finally found success, making it to two World Series (losing both). Cleveland based sportswriter Terry Pluto does a fantastic job describing how the Indians began and stayed in a long stretch finishing at the bottom or close to the bottom of the AL East standing. I really enjoyed Terry Pluto's history of the Cleveland Indians in some wilderness years. It is informative, interesting and fun. Outside of Cleveland, even casual baseball fans may not know who Rocky Colavito is, but in Northeast Ohio there was a time that he was practically Babe Ruth. He hit 139 home runs in four years with Detroit and was again named an All-Star in 1961 and 1962. - Author Terry Pluto in The Curse of Rocky Colavito: A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump (Gray & Company Publishers, 04/13/2007, Page 12) Frank Lane's blunder could be expected to hurt the Tribe's pennant chances for a while.