The Cleveland Courier
TUESDAY 27 JULY 1959
COLAVITO HAMMERS HIS WAY
TO PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD
Story by Larry Jacobson
Defending MVP Rocky Colavito was yesterday named the American League's Player of the Week for the first time this season after a fantastic seven days in which he batted .444, hit five homers and knocked in ten runs. The Blues took series wins against the Tigers and Senators to go 4-2 for the week and stay right in the thick of the pennant race. In Sunday's 10-6 loss to Washington Colavito hit his MLB-leading 34th home run of the year and is on track to become the first player since Babe Ruth in '27 and '28 to record back-to-back fifty home run seasons.
"The guy has just been fantastic for us," said Blues manager Joe Gordon before yesterday's series-opening win over the Yankees in the Bronx. "I couldn't ask any more of him. You know, we brought in Mays to help us contend and Willie was out for a whole month. During that time Rocky stepped up big time and he's just kept that going since Willie's return. I've got so much admiration for him and at just 25 years old, he's got such a great future ahead of him."
It must still worry fans of the Ohio ballclub that his current contract expires at the end of the season, although Colavito has expressed a desire to stay with the Blues beyond this year. With the addition of Mays to the lineup he'd really have to be crazy to want to leave. Colavito not only leads MLB in home runs but he's also on top of the American League with 74 RBI and should easily top 100 for the second straight year. The Blues go into today's second game at Yankee Stadium tied for 2nd place with the New Yorkers and just a game behind the league-leading Tigers...
How it is at the top of the American League,
end of play 26 July 1959...
1ST: DETROIT TIGERS 57-42 (.576)
2nd: New York Yankees 55-42 (.567) (1.0 G.B.)
2nd: Cleveland Blues 56-43 (.566) (1.0 G.B.)