(Left to right) Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, and Gil Hodges meeting with General Douglas MacArthur and his wife Jean in 1951.This article was most recently revised and updated by
Roy Campanella, byname Campy, (born Nov. 19, 1921, Homestead, Pa., U.S.—died June 26, 1993, Woodland Hills, near Los Angeles, Calif.), American baseball player, a professional National League catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, whose career was cut short as a result of an automobile accident.
He played in five
He spent eight years in the Negro leagues before the Dodgers signed him to a contract in 1946 after Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier in organized baseball.
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When he was sixteen years old, he dropped out of school. They had two daughters together. History at your fingertips
Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox.Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Born Nov. 19, 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Campanella began playing professional baseball at the age of 15 and went on to star for the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League.
For his son, the television director and producer, see His first marriage, to Bernice Ray on January 3, 1939, ended in divorce.
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His mother was African American while his father was born to Sicilian immigrants.
(From left to right) Roy Campanella, Larry Doby, Don Newcombe, and Jackie Robinson at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, N.Y., where they became the first African Americans to take part in the All-Star Game, 1949.
Roy Campanella was born on November 19, 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
On April 30, 1945, he married Ruthe Willis, who brought her son David to the marriage.
He was a writer, known for Roogie's Bump (1954), 1949 World Series (1949) and 1956 World Series (1956).
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.Campanella began playing semiprofessional baseball on the During his playing career he was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player three times (1951, 1953, and 1955) and was recognized as the best fielding catcher in the league in the 1950s. March 21, 1954
He died on June 26, 1993 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
The Dodger catcher also copped the prize in 1951 and will win the honor again in 1955, joining Stan Musial as the circuit’s second three-time recipient of the award.
In 1999, Campanella ranked number 50 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Future Hall of Famer Roy Campanella (.312, 41, 142) is named the National League’s MVP for the second time. After he retired as a player as a result of the accident, Campanella held positions in He was born Roy Campanella in Philadelphia to parents Ida, who was African American, and John Campanella, son of Italian immigrants.Of mixed-race, Campanella was considered on the wrong side of the Campanella's 1946 season proceeded largely without racist incidents, and in one game Campanella assumed the managerial duties after manager Jackie Robinson's first season in the major leagues came in 1947, and Campanella began his MLB career with the Brooklyn Dodgers the following season, playing his first game on April 20, 1948. This article is about the baseball player.
They also had three children together (including a son, On May 5, 1964, Campanella married Roxie Doles, who survived him. He was married to Roxie Joynes, Ruthe Willis and Bernice Ray. Biography. He was born to John and Ida. In later years, Robinson and his wife sometimes stayed with the Campanella family during some ballgames because adequate hotels for blacks could not be found in the city.In 1955 (Campanella's final MVP season), he helped Brooklyn win its first-ever After his playing career, Campanella remained involved with the Dodgers.
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