November 19

Roy Campanella

The great American baseball catcher, Roy Campanella was born on November 19, 1921.

Considered by many to be one of the best baseball catchers of the twentieth century, Roy Campanella played initially in the Negro Leagues and Mexican League prior to entering the minor league with the Brooklyn Dodgers minor league system in 1946 with the Montreal Royals.

He entered the Major Leagues in 1948 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  He was selected as the Most Valuable Player in 1951, 1953 and 1955 in the National League.  On January 28, 1958, he was paralyzed after being involved in a car accident involving ice on the road.  He died on June 26, 1993 in Woodland Hills, California at age 71.