Baseball Legends: Roy Campanella (Dodgers 1948-1957)

“I never want to quit playing ball. They’ll have to cut this uniform off of me to get me out of it.” — Roy Campanella

Roy Campanella, known as “Campy”, is considered by many to be one of the best catchers ever to play baseball. While still in school at the age of just 15, he played on weekends for the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League. He was MVP of the 1941 East-West all-star game, then jumped to the Mexican League in 1942 and 1943. He came back to the Giants and led the league in doubles in 1944 and in RBIs in 1945.

Baseball Legends: Ted Williams (Red Sox 1939-1942, 1946-1960)

“It was typical of him to become a Marine Air Corps pilot and see action and almost get shot down. He was a remarkable American as well as a remarkable ballplayer. His passing so close to a national holiday seems part of a divine plan, so we can always remember him not only as a great player but also as a great patriot.” – Vin Scully

Ted Williams made his Major League debut on April 20, 1939. In his first season he finished fourth in the MVP voting. Just three short years later he won the American League Triple Crown. His season of 1941 was overshadowed at the time by Joe DiMaggio, but it was one of the greatest in baseball history. He was hitting .400 going into the last day of the season, but played in the doubleheader anyway raising his average to .406 for the season. He is the last player to hit .400 in a season. In 1942 Ted won the first of two Triple Crowns. He hit .356 with 36 home runs and 137 RBI’s. He came in second in the MVP voting to Joe Gordon of the Yankees.

Baseball Legends: Warren Spahn (Braves 1942, 1946-1964, Mets 1965, Giants 1965)

“Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing.” ~ Warren Spahn

The winningest left-hander in big league history with 363 victories, Warren Spahn ranks sixth on the all-time wins list. Those ahead of him on the list–Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Pete Alexander, Christy Mathewson and Pud Galvin–all played prior to the live-ball era. Thirteen times in his 21-year career he won more than 20 games in a season.

Spahn’s baseball career did not start with distinction; he was demoted to the minor leagues by Boston Braves manager Casey Stengel after refusing to throw at a batter. After the 1942 season concluded, he enlisted in the United States Army. During his tenure in the military, Spahn was honored with the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for bravery. He was the only major leaguer who earned a battlefield commission during World War II.

Baseball Legends: Bobby Doerr (Red Sox 1937-1951)

“The kids can look up the statistics, but that won’t tell them who Bobby was.” – Johnny Pesky

Bobby Doerr played his entire career at second base for the Boston Red Sox. He was one of the best second basemen of his era. Defensively he was very good. He once held the American League record for errorless chances by a second baseman with 414. He was a good hitter as well. He hit .288 with 223 home runs and 1,247 RBI’s in his career.

Baseball Legends: Josh Gibson (Homestead Grays 1929-1931, 1937-1940, 1942-1946, Pittsburgh Crawfords 1932-1936)

“He had an eye like Ted Williams, and the power of Babe Ruth. I played with Willie Mays and against Hank Aaron, they were tremendous players, but they were no Josh Gibson.” – Monte Irvin

One of the unfortunate periods of baseball history was when it was segregated. The sheer act of racism was bad enough, but the fans were robbed of seeing some great players. One of those players was Josh Gibson. He was called “the Black Babe Ruth.” The fact that he is credited with more home runs than the Bambino makes you wonder if Babe Ruth shouldn’t be called “the White Josh Gibson.” Gibson lived a short but eventful life, and is one of the most recognized Negro League players to this day.

Baseball Legends: Larry Doby (Indians 1947-1955, 1958, White Sox 1956-1957, 1959, Tigers 1959)

“I knew being accepted was going to be hard, but I knew I was involved in a situation that was going to bring opportunities to other blacks.” – Larry Doby

Larry Doby was the second African American player to play in the Major Leagues. That is kind of like the second man to walk on the moon, or the second man to break the sound barrier. Most people could not tell you their name. Doby was signed by the Cleveland Indians eleven weeks after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier by Bill Veeck. While Jackie is fondly remembered by everyone, Doby is rarely named in the same breath. He was the first black player in the American League, and thus became the answer to a trivia question.

Baseball Legends: Yogi Berra (Yankees 1946-1963, Mets 1965)

“90% of the game is mental, the other half is physical” – Yogi Berra

If you don’t know who Yogi Berra is, then you don’t know baseball. He is one of the most well known athletes of his time. His record speaks for itself. He won the AL MVP award three times (1951, 1954, 1955). He finished fourth or higher in the balloting every year from 1950-1957, and received votes on the ballot for 15 straight years. He was an All-Star from 1949-1962. His teams won 14 AL Pennants, and 10 World Series with him behind the plate. He was the anchor of one of the best dynasties ever in baseball. He played for 20 years, and made it to the World Series 14 times. He played in 75 World Series games in his career. That is just amazing. How many other players can state that they won the World Series half of the years that they played the game?

Baseball Legends: Mel Ott (Giants 1926-1947 player, 1942-1948 manager)

Mel Ott was my grandfather’s favorite player. All other players were compared to him. My dad’s favorite player was Minnie Minoso. According to my grandfather Minnie was not good. My favorite player was Carlton Fisk. I used to sit at his house and listen to how Carlton was a horrible catcher. As far as my grandfather was concerned after 1947 there were no good ball players anymore.

Mel was one of those players that played (and managed) his entire career with one team. He played his entire 22 year career with the New York Giants. In those 22 years he hit .304 with 511 home runs and 1860 RBIs. He did play at the Polo Grounds though. Being a left handed batter he only had to hit the ball 258 feet to right field. Of his 511 home runs 323 of them came at home. He may have had a short porch to aim for in right, but center field was 505 feet away.

Baseball Legends: Stan Musial (Cardinals 1941-1963)

“I love to play this game of baseball — I love putting on this uniform.” ~ Stan Musial, 1963

Stanley Frank Musial was born November 21st, 1920 in Donora, Pennsylvania.  He played with the St. Louis Cardinals his entire career, from the age of 20 until he retired at age 42.  Commonly referred to as “Stan the Man,” he really was the man.  Musial had a .331 lifetime batting average, 475 home runs, and 1,951 RBIs.  My favorite Musial stat, however, is that of his 3,630 hits he split them exactly into 1,815 at home, 1,815 on the road.

What was the key to his success?  “You wait for a strike, then you knock the shit out of it.”  Right.  Of course.

Baseball Legends: Jackie Robinson (Dodgers 1947-1956)

Jackie Robinson was a great baseball player. In his short career, he hit 137 home runs, drove in 734 runs, and stole 197 bases. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1947, the MVP in 1949, received MVP votes 8 out of 10 years, and was a six-time All-Star. But Robinson’s status as a Baseball Legend transcends the playing field, as he was the first African American ballplayer in the modern era of the game.

Branch Rickey scouted Robinson in 1945 while he played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues. After signing Robinson, Rickey assigned him to play with the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers’ minor league affiliate. Robinson impressed while there, winning the 1946 International League MVP award.