Curse of Rocky Colavito

Its origin is traced back to the unpopular trade of right fielder Rocky Colavito to the Detroit Tigers for Harvey Kuenn in 1960.

The Guardians, then known as the Cleveland Indians, played in the World Series in 1995, 1997, and 2016, but lost all three to the Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, and Chicago Cubs, respectively.

In his 1994 book, The Curse of Rocky Colavito: A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump, Pluto suggested that the trade, made by Indians general manager Frank Lane to blunt Colavito's popularity and end his salary demands, led to a 34-season stretch where the Indians did not finish the season within 11 games of first place, from 1960 to 1993.

On the day of the Colavito trade, the Indians played the Chicago White Sox in an exhibition game at 64-year-old Russwood Park in Memphis, Tennessee.

According to the story, although he always denied it, Bragan walked out to the pitcher's mound at Cleveland Municipal Stadium and placed a curse on the Indians, saying they would never win another pennant.

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.