Roy Campanella

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Roy Campanella was born in Philadelphia on November 19, 1921 to parents Ida, who was African American, and John Campanella, the son of Italian immigrants. Roy was the youngest of the four children born to the couple. They first lived in Germantown, and then moved to Nicetown in North Philadelphia, where the children attended integrated schools. He attended Gillespie Junior High School and Simon Gratz High School, although he left high school before graduating. Because of their mixed-race, Campanella and his siblings were sometimes taunted by other children in school who called them "half-breed". Campanella had athletic gifts that he used to great effect; he was elected captain of every sports team he played on in high school, but baseball was his passion. Of mixed race, Campanella was prohibited from MLB play as a result of the baseball color line. In 1937, at the age of 15, he began playing Negro league baseball for the Washington Elite Giants on weekends, subsequently dropping out of high school a few months later on his 16th birthday so he could play full time. The Elite Giants moved to Baltimore the following year, and Campanella became a star player with the team until 1945. During the 1942 season, Campanella left the Baltimore Elite Giants after a spat with owner Tom Wilson. He played the rest of the season and the following 1943 season in the Mexican League with the Sultanes de Monterrey. Lázaro Salazar, the team's manager, told Campanella that one day he would play at the major league level. Campanella subsequently returned to the Elite Giants for the 1944–45 seasons. In 1946, Campanella played in the newly formed Venezuelan Professional Baseball League on the Sabios de Vargas team, which he was co-coach and led to the league championship. Campanella moved into the Brooklyn Dodgers' minor league system in 1946 as the Dodger organization began preparations to break the MLB color barrier with Jackie Robinson. His easy-going personality and strong work ethic were credited with his being able to move successfully between the races. Although Branch Rickey considered hiring Campanella to break baseball's color barrier, Rickey ultimately decided upon Robinson. For the 1946 season, Robinson was assigned to the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers' affiliate in the Class AAA International League. On March 18, 1946, Campanella signed a contract to play for Danville Do

In Their Own Story

The 1955 World Series against the Yankees saw Campanella lead Brooklyn's comeback after losing the first two games. In Game 3, he hit a two-out, two-run home run in the first inning to spark a victory. He followed with another home run in Game 4 to tie the series. The Dodgers eventually won in seven games when Johnny Podres shut out the Yankees 2–0. Campanella's leadership behind the plate was legendary; he caught three no-hitters, including two by Carl Erskine and one by Sal Maglie. Maglie recalled, 'In my no-hitter...I only shook Campy off once.' He called pitches perfectly for every batter in every situation.

Reader's Guide

Roy Campanella is a legendary catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, a three-time National League MVP, and a Hall of Famer. His career was tragically cut short by a car accident that left him paralyzed. He is remembered for his powerful hitting, exceptional defense, and leadership on and off the field.

Did You Know?

• Campanella threw out 57% of base stealers in his career, the highest percentage of any catcher in major league history.
• He caught three no-hitters: two by Carl Erskine and one by Sal Maglie.
• Campanella was the first African American to manage White players in organized professional baseball, taking over for an ejected Walter Alston in a 1946 minor league game.
• His 142 RBIs in 1953 set a franchise record that stood until Tommy Davis broke it in 1962.

Early Life and Mixed Heritage

Born in Philadelphia on November 19, 1921, Roy Campanella was the youngest of four children born to Ida, who was African American, and John Campanella, the son of Italian immigrants. The family lived first in Germantown, then moved to Nicetown in North Philadelphia, where the children attended integrated schools. At Gillespie Junior High School and Simon Gratz High School, Campanella faced taunts from peers calling him 'half-breed' due to his mixed race. He was elected captain of every sports team he played on in high school but left before graduating to pursue baseball.

Pioneering Career Before the Majors

Prohibited from MLB by the color line, Campanella began playing Negro league baseball for the Washington Elite Giants at age 15 in 1937. He dropped out of high school on his 16th birthday to play full-time as the team moved to Baltimore, where he starred until 1945. After a dispute with owner Tom Wilson in 1942, he played for the Sultanes de Monterrey in the Mexican League and later co-coached the Sabios de Vargas to a championship in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in 1946. In 1946, he joined the Dodgers' minor league system. Sent to the Nashua Dodgers after Danville was deemed unready for integration, Campanella helped form the first racially integrated professional lineup of the 20th century in the United States. He became the first African American to manage White players on an organized team when he took over managerial duties during a game.

Dominance and Historic Achievements

Campanella made his MLB debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 20, 1948. After a brief stint in the minors that May, he became the regular catcher from July 1948 through 1957. He was selected to the All-Star Game every year from 1949 through 1956, becoming one of the first four African Americans honored. In 1950, he hit home runs in five straight games. He won the National League MVP award three times: in 1951, 1953, and 1955. Each MVP season featured a batting average over .300, more than 30 home runs, and over 100 RBIs. His 142 RBIs in 1953 set a franchise record later broken by Tommy Davis in 1962. He hit 40 home runs as a catcher in 1953, a record that stood until 1996. Campanella threw out 57% of base runners attempting to steal, the highest percentage in major league history, with four seasons over 60%. He caught three no-hitters: two by Carl Erskine (June 19, 1952; May 12, 1956) and one by Sal Maglie (September 25, 1956). In the 1955 World Series, he hit home runs in Games 3 and 4 to help Brooklyn defeat the Yankees.

Tragedy, Advocacy, and Enduring Legacy

Campanella's playing career ended on January 28, 1958, when his car skidded on ice, hit a telephone pole, and overturned near Glen Cove, New York. He fractured his fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Though he regained use of his arms and hands through therapy, he required a wheelchair for mobility. He wrote an autobiography, 'It's Good to Be Alive', published in 1959. After retiring as a player, he held positions with the Dodgers in scouting and community relations. On September 27, 1959, he appeared on an episode of 'Lassie'. In 1969, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.