From the personal collection of former Dodgers VP of Marketing from 1972 to 1990 Merritt Willey (d. 1990), we are proud to present this classic, original Roy Campanella wristwatch.
On June 4, 1972, the Los Angeles Dodgers retired the numbers of Roy Campanella (39), Sandy Koufax (32) and Jackie Robinson (42) in a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium as part of Old Timers Day.
While we don't have the specific provenance that this was indeed the commemorative watch issued to Campanella that day in 1972, the inscriptions and design of the watch, and the source of the consignment, lead us to believe that it is. It's a sharp time piece, and it still runs! Please look through all the images for a closer look at the cool inscription.
Campanella spent the entirety of his 10-year career with Brooklyn. One of the game's early stars that helped break the color barrier, at the age of 35, Campy was involved in a car accident prior to the Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles in 1958, which paralyzed him from the neck down, thus ending his playing career. Campanella was named to eight All-Star teams, was a three-time MVP, and appeared in five World Series. He helped Brooklyn win their first World Series in 1955. Campanella was enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. The Dodgers present the Roy Campanella Award to the player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the catcher.