While the Brooklyn Dodgers made history by breaking the color barrier with the signing of Jackie Robinson in 1947, adding Roy Campanella to the organization the following season also made history.
Campanella, who was born in Philadelphi, Pa. and began playing professional baseball at 15 years old, became the first black catcher in Major League Baseball. Prior to signing with the Dodgers, he made a name for himself with the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League.
In his first full season with the Dodgers (1949), Campanella hit .287 with 22 home runs and 82 RBIs. He also threw out 59 percent of would-be base stealers en route to earning All-Star honors.
Then in 1951, the catcher hit .325 with 33 home runs and 108 RBIs, and was named the MVP. The award was the first of three MVPs Campanella won during his career. He threw out 69 percent of baserunners in 1951, which was a career-high mark.
Campanella won his third MVP award in 1955, then struggled through the next two seasons. Months prior to the Dodgers beginning their inaugural season in Los Angeles, Campanella was in a tragic accident in January 1958 that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.
The photo above is of Campanella visiting Ebbets Field prior to it being demolished in February 1960. Ebbets Field served as the Dodgers home for 44 years; their last game played there was Sept. 24, 1957 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
With his career sadly cut short due to the accident, Campanella was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969. The Roy Campanella Award was established by the Dodgers to annually recognize a Dodger player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher.
The Dodgers retired Robinson’s number, along with Campanella’s (No. 39) and Sandy Koufax (No. 32) in June 1972. The catcher passed away at the age of 71 in 1993.
