gold star for USAHOF

17. Roy Campanella

17. Roy Campanella
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: November 19, 1921 in Philadelphia, PA USA
  • Weight: 190 lbs.
  • Height: 5'9"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: April 20, 1948
  • Final Game: September 29, 1957
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1949
  • TSN All-Star - 1949
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1950
  • Most Valuable Player - 1951
  • TSN All-Star - 1951
  • Most Valuable Player - 1953
  • TSN All-Star - 1953
  • TSN Player of the Year - 1953
  • Most Valuable Player - 1955
  • TSN All-Star - 1955
  • MVP - 1948
  • MVP - 1949
  • MVP - 1950
  • MVP - 1951
  • MVP - 1952
  • MVP - 1953
  • MVP - 1955
 
ABRHHRRBISBAVG
841012542322484171250 0.276
 

There is always one player on these top 50 lists that seem impossible to lock down.  For the Dodgers that man is Roy Campanella, as he is a three-time MVP, but had they been judged in terms of current metrics, he likely would not have won any.

Before the Dodgers signed him, Campanella had played baseball in the Negro Leagues, Mexico, and Venezuela.  Brooklyn's General Manager had Campanella and Jackie Robinson poised to break the color barrier.  Robinson would shatter that ceiling in 1947, and a year later, Campanella joined the Dodgers.

Campanella had a promising rookie year but exploded the year after to emerge as the National League's top Catcher.  An All-Star every season from 1949 to 1956, Campanella brought good power to the Catcher's position, smacking 221 Home Runs in that time, which, again, was not common by a Catcher in the 1950s.  He also hit for average, having three .300 seasons.  Due to his offensive prowess, Campanella was rewarded with the 1951, 1953, and 1955 MVPs, with the middle year being Campy’s best season.  That year, he set a personal best in Home Runs (41) and led the NL in RBIs (142).  

Defensively, Campanella was solid, leading all National League Catchers in Range Factor per Game nine times, and was also a five-time leader in Caught Stealing Percentage.  He was also an anchor for their post-season success, with Campanella helping Brooklyn win the 1955 World Series and appear in four others.

In January of 1958, Campanella overturned his rental car when he struck a telephone pole.  The ensuing accident resulted in a broken neck and the end of his baseball career.  Campy left the Majors with 1,161 Hits, 242 Home Runs, and the promise of so much more.

Campanella was chosen in 1969 for the Baseball Hall of Fame in his seventh year of eligibility.

Again, if this rank does seem a little low, remember that the Dodgers ahead of him have much longer tenures than Campanella, though not all of them were as important.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Catcher
  • Acquired: Signed as a Free Agent before the 1946 Season.
  • Departed:

    Retired after the 1957 Season.

  • Games Played: 1,215
  • Notable Statistics:

    627 Runs Scored
    1,161 Hits
    178 Doubles
    18 Triples
    242 Home Runs
    856 RBI

    25 Stolen Bases
    .276/.360/.500 Slash Line
    35.6 bWAR

    32 Playoff Games
    16 Runs Scored
    127 Hits
    5 Doubles
    0 Triples
    4 Home Runs
    12 RBI
    0 Stolen Bases
    .237/.310/.386 Slash Line

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    World Series Champion (1955)
    MVP (1951, 1953 & 1955)
    All-Star (1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955 & 1956)
    Most RBI (1953)
    Most Intentional Walks (1949)
    Highest Win Probability Added (1953)
    Highest Championship Win Probability Added (1953)
    Most Putouts by a Catcher (1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1955 & 1956)
    Most Assists by a Catcher (1951)
    Most Double Plays Turned by a Catcher (1948 & 1951)
    Most Runners Caught Stealing (1950 & 1951)
    Highest Caught Stealing Percentage (1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 & 1952)
    Most Total Zone Runs by a Catcher (1953)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a Catcher (1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955 & 1957)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Catcher (1952 & 1957)

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