Evening star., 1954-06-08


CAMPANEILAs HERoICs OF LATE must be making
Walt Aston the busher manager feel better Aston who
succeeded Chuck Dessen supposed to be heading up
pusbutton club-one that would and hide from the
rest of the National League With Campy out the buttons
didn't work Fans and press alike beginning to look
SidewSe at Aston
Aston's admiration for Campanela is we'll known Soon
after Branch Hickey ured the husky catcher the Ba
more Elite Giants-th was in 1s46Campy assigned
NASHUA oI e new England League The manager ASton
One night the mild Aston was tossed out of
the game by umpire But preparing for any such evenu
atty, Walt had told Campanella:
IF I'm ever bounced want you to run things"
Campanela did in the sixth inning of game in which
the Dodger farm team trailing by three runs Nashua
eventually won rs.
bizarre was Campanelas rise to the majors which
finally happened in 1948 AS early October IT, 194 Row
offered job by Rickey who was running the Brooklyn
club at the time This only six days after Robinson was
signed by Rickey breaking the so-called "color line"
WHEN MIR. RICKEY ASKED me if would like to plav
for the Dodgers Campy said to have told friends thought
he meant the Brown Dodgers coored team thanked
him and said Nothing doing"
Even after he learned of his mistake Capanella wasn't
out Of the woods. BY going Nashua he was Joining
league that dictated maximum salary of approximately 5000
month, much less than Campy made with the Elite
Giants.
Hickey neatly solved the problem by paying him SALARY
Tor scouting as well for playing Look over the Negro
world series for me- Branch directed "and let if
you see anybody worth signing Campy returned three
names-Larry Dolby, Monte Irwin and Earl Taborn None
wound with Brooklyn but Roys scouting ability had been
established.
ROBINSON HAD BROKEN the line" at Montreal in
the international League Rickey easy to ancpae
sent Campanea to Montreal too 1947 Then he surprised
even his manager Leo Duroche by assigning Roy to St. Paul
the next II want him break the color line in the
American Association Hickey said told Durocher
Leo had other ideas He wanted Campanela to become
BrooynS catcher replacing Bruce Edwards releasing
Hodges for first base duties Hickey oveed his manager
to the extent that Roy gazee only went to st. Paul
but as an outfelder, yeti
BY 49, however, there keeping Campanela out of
the Dodger camp Durocher took it own to catch
Campy move Hodges to first base for ry Edwards
later to become sorearm vct at third From that
point there has been rst-strng BROOKLYN catcher
except Roy.
THE FELLOW NO YOUNGSTER and a pro or semi-pro
since he was 15 to be getting better He won the
National Leagues most valuable player in 1851 with
$685. 50 home runs and 08 bated in This is not bad
Tor slow-ooted catcher with wasne problems Then last
year he most valuable again 312 average Al homers
and 142 runs batted in.
1t has to be significant that Campanela spent five
complete seasons with the Dodgers Brooklyn has won
three pennants and lost payo to the Giants in
another The Buns have been second since
Campy became the No. / catcher
gee-whz sort of piece indeed But gee-whz sort of
catcher, you'll have to admit