CAMPANELLA, ROY

born Nov. 19, 1921, Homestead, Pa., U.S. died June 26, 1993, Woodland Hills, near Los Angeles, Calif. Roy Campanella of the Brooklyn Dodgers tagging out Jack Lohrke of the New York Giants, 1950. byname Campy American baseball player, a professional National League (NL) catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, whose career was cut short as a result of an automobile accident. Campanella began playing semiprofessional baseball on the Nicetown, Philadelphia, sandlots when he was 13, and at 15 he was signed to play in the Negro leagues. He batted and threw right-handed. He joined the Dodgers in 1948 and was their regular catcher from 1949 until an automobile accident after the 1957 season left him paralyzed. During his playing career he was named the NL most valuable player three times (1951, 1953, 1955) and was recognized as the best fielding catcher in the league in the 1950s. He was also known for his hitting and in 1953 led the league in runs batted in (142) and hit 41 home runs. He played in five World Series (1949, 195253, 195556). His autobiography, It's Good to Be Alive, was published in 1959. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.