Campy: the Two Lives of Roy Campanella: Review

Behind Jackie Robinson an army of black players was waiting on their chance to play in the Major League. Some of them already played in the farm systems of the big teams. One of them was Roy Campanella, the future MVP catcher of the Brooklyn Dodgers. 'Campy, the two lives of Roy Campanella' by Neil Lanctot tells the story of Roy from his childhood days in Philadelphia, always looking for a game of street baseball. His teenage years when he started to play in organized games. His rise through the ranks in the Negro League. The years behind the plate for the Dodgers and the tragic car accident which ended his active baseball playing career. Neil Lanctot has made this a very easy to read, enjoyable book that makes you love that somewhat overweight catcher. Every year you hope the Dodgers will win that World Series title, although you know it was only in 1955 when they finally did. My hat off to Lanctot for keeping the suspense and making this a gripping read. One of the most interesting things is the difference between Jackie Robinson and Campy. Jackie, who went to UCLA, was the guy who broke through the color barrier first and always stayed serious about equal rights. Campy, who grew up poor and did not go to college and quit school to follow his heart and play baseball, always thought himself lucky to be playing in the majors. This eventually leads to a falling out between the two. Because this ia not an autobiography the writer can take some distance from his subject. At times Lanctot is critical about Campanella. For instane how he had a knack for changing his stories or beef them up to make them more interesting. Never with bad intentions, though. Campy wanted to entertain! The part about Campy's revalidation is much shorter. But it's interesting to read how the always smiling Campanella also had his lesser moments, but he always tried to keep them to himself. He became a speaker for the handicapped and even, at long last, a voice for civil rights, this to the delight of Jackie Robinson. Still, most of the 428 pages are about the happy, smiling, catching Campy. He once said: "You have to be a man to be a big league ballplayer, but you have to have a lot of little boy in you too'. That is Campanella spot on. He is and will always be one of my favorite Dodgers.

It's Good to be Alive: Review

Browsing for stuff about my favorite ballclub I recently stumbled on ‘It’s Good to be Alive’. I never got the change to read Roy Campanella’s autobiography but when I looked closer, the picture wasn’t of a book cover. It had Lou Gosset Jr. in it. My curiousity was triggered and had to see it. It’s a made for TV movie and the directorial debut of Michael Landon (yes, the guy from Little House on the Prairie). It stars Paul Winfield and, obviously, Louis Gossett Jr. I don’t spoil anything when I say the biggest chunck of the movie is about Campy’s struggle after his car accident in 1958 which left him a quadriplegic. There is some footage of Campy playing at Ebbets Field though. Since Campanella had been playing baseball since he was a kid, starting in Negro league Baseball when he was only 15 it was hard not to be able to move anymore. It's a seventies movie so it's a bit slow at times, but in this case it fits the story. Paul Winfield’s performance is good, he makes you (the viewer) live the pain along with him. Since the movie retells Campanella's autobiography it's a very personal movie. Campy shows us how he quits life, which is no wonder when all you want to do is catch and throw baseballs. Gosset as Roy's attendant is stern and once in a while funny. The end of the movie shows us the real Campanella and his family for a minute. That moment send shivers down my spine. As a Dodger fan you should see this. It's on dvd, so pick it up sometime.

42

Although Jackie Robinson was a big star with the Dodgers long, long before I was born, I still have the feeling I've 'known' him. Thanks to April 15th and the numerous books written about him and his rise to the Major League. Without him another black player would have scaled the wall of segregation in sports. But it was him who did it first, not someone else and although he was black he's been blue his entire carrire. He even ended his active playing days when he was traded to the hated New York Giants. There are many statues of Jackie all around the USA. At UCLA Jackie Robinson Stadium for instance or the one in Jersey City. I've seen two of his statues myslf. I really like the one at the Cyclone Stadium at Coney Island. He looks like a guy without a care in the world and is flanked by another Dodger great: Pee Wee Reese. I have mixed feelings about the statue in Pasadena, the city where he spend a big chunck of his life. It's just his head. It would make me sad if he wasn't accompanyed by his brother Mack, who won silver (200 meters) at the 1936 Olympic Games.
I turned 42 in december, for more than eleven months I will be 'Jackie's number'. It was great to see the huge '42' in the Jackie Robinson Rotunda at Citi Field.

So for me it was extra special when I heard about the movie 42 coming to movie theaters. My girlfriend and I had planned a trip to New York City and I just had to see the movie there. It was great. A historical document about a big step in baseball and Dodger fans. It gave me a very nice idea of how Ebbets Field must have felt like in its hay days. Nowadays it's a sad place. The appartment blocks that occupy former Ebbets Field are humongous and ugly. There is a reminder, though, of the spot where 'Dem Bums' played so many great games. It's a simple plaque, but I can recommend every Dodger fan to take a pilgrimage walk through Prospect Park and along Empire Avenue to Bedford Avenue 1705 and just stand there for a bit. Thinking of Robinson, Campanella, Reese, Erskine, Branca, Snider and many more.

Think Blue Sign

In no particular order Vin Scully, Jaime Jarrin, Nancy Bea, Dodger Dogs, the Left Field Pavilion, Breaking the Color Barrier, Walter O’Malley, Dodger Town, 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42 and so many more makes the Dodgers what they are today. It’s a club soaked in tradition. History has been made ever since they played in Brooklyn and still is today with players like Kemp, Kershaw and Ethier. Fans bleed blue and are quite vocal about their club. If things are going great it’s all good, if the club hits a bad streak because of losing games or bad management they lash out, but also try to come up with a solution for the problem. THAT is what makes a ballclub: The fans! And the Dodger fan thinks blue.

Which brings me to another, more recent, addition to the list above. Something that reminds us that in good times and in bad, we all love our Dodgers and the color which represents them: the THINK BLUE sign.

I’ve tried to look up when the sign was put up there. It was during the O’Malley era, which means it has been there since 1997 at least. I know it was there when I first visited Dodger Stadium in 2003. It sat there, in the hills, like it was reassuring the visitors of the games. “We might lose games, but think blue and we’ll still have the edge”.

Then, from one day to the next… the sign was gone. Santa Ana winds blew some of the letters down and the complete sign was removed. Apparently a Dodgers spokesman told the LA Times the team would repair the sign. But it never resurfaced. Maybe they’re planning something, but word hasn’t come out.

The sign is a regular topic among Dodger fans on Facebook. Talking about it is one, but doing something about it is something else. So that’s why I started the “Bring the Think Blue Sign Back” petition.

I set myself a goal of 500 signatures. Which should be doable among Facebook Dodger Fans only. So, bottom line, I want to ask you to sign the petition. Follow the link, that’s all there is to it. Ow, and spread the word. The word is Blue!

Free Petition by iPetitions.com

Through a Blue Lens: Review

I’ve always been mainly an LA Dodgers fan. I knew they played in Brooklyn, but that's way in the past. But last year I had this feeling I wanted to know more about the team during their time in Brooklyn. I read ‘Forever Blue’ which I reviewed last month. The book had some photos in it and my curiosity was piqued. During my stay in LA a few weeks back I stubled upon the book ‘Through a blue Lens: The Brooklyn Dodger Photographs of Barney Stein 1937-1957’. It opened up a whole new world for me. Stein was the Jon SooHoo of his time and paints some great pictures with his camera. Fantastic pictures of Snider, Robinson, Campy, Reese and more. You know the names and seen their faces, but not as intimately as in the photos in this book. All black and white photos, which gives the Brooklyn era that 'old days' look. Not only are there photos, the accompanying text is interesting as well. All in all a great book to have on your shelf and to leaf through once in a while.

Van Ramblings of a Dutch Dodger

Dodgers Home Opener 2012

The morning of April 10th was sunny. A perfect day for a home opener. I had accepted an invitation to a tailgating party at Elysium Park from one of my fellow facebook Dodger fan friends. I arrived at 9am and people were already firing up the bbq’s, wrapping Dodger Dogs in bacon, East LA style, and playing catch. It was fun to see how people reacted when they saw this fan from the Netherlands, actually at opening day. I talked to some people and we had a group picture taken. Turned out, most of them were Left Field Pavilion season ticket holders. I told them I had an LFP ticket for tommorows game. And what do you know, I’d be right in their section.

Van LA Trip

Around 11am I walked to the stadium and the place was a already filling up nicely. When I arrived at the stadium club level I heard someone call my name. It was Dodger Bobble. I was surprised he recognised me since I was donning my Dodgers Jersey and cap. So was everybody else. He’s a great guy. We talked for a while and during that time we saw Larry King walk by and Maury Wills. Old dudes, but highly respected ones. Larry was already a Dodgers fan when they still played in Brooklyn.

Van LA Trip

The pregame stuff was awesome. The Beach Boys, including Brian Wilson (the only Brian Wilson who is welcome at Dodger Stadium), sang Surfer Girl, which gave me goose bumps since it’s all so very California for a guy from the Netherlands. A group of at least 200 army personnel walked in this (excuse the language) fucking huge American flag which was rolled out and the Beach Boys sang the national anthem.

Van LA Trip

White doves were set free and two F18 planes did a fly over. Only in America! Retired Dodger players came onto the field. Then the daughter of former owner Walter O’Malley threw the first ball, to Tom Lasorda. It was all very impressive, but what we came for was only just beginning.

Kershaw, who had a cold a few days earlier, was lights out on the mound. Dee Gorden was the first hitter, got on base, stole second and before we knew it, he scored and we were 1 run up. The Pirates scored a few innings later. Kenley Jansen (a real Dutch Dodger) threw an amazing inning and in the eigth inning, Andre Ethier celebrated his birthday by hitting a ball out of there. Final score 2-1 in a short game (2 and a half hours). I met up with Enrique who had saved all six bobble heads that were given out last season as SGA’s. He lend me his MVP card zo I could ho on the field and play some catch. Unfortunately there was a long line and I didn’t bring a glove.

It was the experience of a lifetime. That first week in which every fan dreams of the Commissioner's Trophy, everthing is possible at that moment.

Some more impressions in frozen and moving pictures:

Van LA Trip

Van LA Trip

Van LA Trip

101 Reasons to Love the Dodgers: Review

Being a Star Wars fan and having a nice collection of books about the subject I can say I don’t like books with titles like: trivia book, quiz book, the real fan’s book of knowledge, facts about... Most of these books include the same information. Stuff we already know or is so far fetched, we don’t care!
This is why I was not tempted to buy “101 reasons to love the Dodgers”. But when I leafed through it, I was surprised by the quality of the images they used in this hard cover book. It really has a great look and feel. And... Some interesting facts. Most of them well known to a Dodger fan, but some fun surprises. Best of all this is a book I can hand to friends who ask me “why the Dodgers?” well, read this, there are (at least) 101 reasons why!

Van Ramblings of a Dutch Dodger