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If Jackie Robinson was the heart of the Dodger teams of the late 1940s and early 1950s, Roy Campanella, the Brooklyn backstop, was its backbone. A powerful man with a powerful will, he won a trio of National League MVP honors in the 10 seasons before his Major League career, which began late because of his skin color, ended early as a result of a car crash. Campy's autobiography, originally published in 1959, is as gritty as the Hall of Famer was. It weaves its way from the Negro Leagues to the Majors, then digs in to detail the catcher's post-crash rehabilitation with honest inspiration.Book Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Moving and inspirational
It's Good to Be Alive is one of the most moving and inspirational books I have read in a long, long time.

In this era of steriod athletes like Jose Canseco and Giambi, Roy Campanella stood head and shoulders above callous players like Jose.

This book is great.

A VERY MOVING NOVEL
THIS IS THE STORY OF ROY CAMPANELLA OF THE BROOKLYN DODGERS. HE TELLS HIS LIFE STORY ABOUT BASEBALL AND THE CAR ACCIDENT THAT LEFT HIM ALMOST TOTALLY PARALYZED. HE WAS A VERY GRATEFUL AND INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. HIS DESCRIPITION OF HIS STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE AND ALL HE HAD TO ENDURE TO HAVE A PRODUCTIVE LIFE AFTER HIS ACCIDENT IS TRUELY INSPIRING. ANYONE WHO READS THIS WILL TRULY APPRECIATE THE MIRACLE MAN ROY CAMPANELLA. VERY RECOMMENDED.

touching and moving
In this autobiography Roy Campanella takes you through his life as a child all the way through his debilatating car accident which left him quadripilegic.He asks the reader to please not feel sorry for him.Although at first thats hard, you later see that his life was rich with experinces and love.The book is very moving and I guarentee you will shed tears several times.You really get insight to Roy and find he is very much a lovable gentleman.The book surprising has quite a few mistakes, such as names of people (eg. instead of William Wrigley he writes Phil Wrigley.Also it's grammer isnt perfect. But this is easily forgiven.At the end of the book you feel you got to know Roy,and wished you could have met him.

Well known by his generation, but not as anAmerican hero
Campy was one of my boyhood heroes. I was devestated when I heard of the crash that cut short a great career for this quiet man.As much as he was a star in baseball, he was more so as a human being.Still aqlive when hehad no chance to live, he was an inspiration to so many.No longerpossessing the great physical ability that carried him to baseball stardom,he rose to stardom as a role-model, something blatantly missing in manycelebrities today.

Join Campy in the struggles as a youth of mixedparantage, as a star in the Negro Leagues, a pioneer in organized baseball,but even more so as an unsung hero to manypersons with and without physicallimitations

Well known by his generation, but not as an American hero
Campy was a one of my boyhood heroes.I was devastated when I heard of the crash that cut short a great career for this quiet man.As much as he was a star in baseball, he was more so as a human being.Still alive, whenhe had no chance to live, he was an inspiration to so many.No longer withgreat physical ability that carried him to baseball stardom, he rose tostardom as a role model, something greatly missing in many athletestoday.

Join Campy in the struggles as a youth of mixed parentage, as astar in the Negro Leagues, a pioneer in organized baseball, but even moreso as an unsung hero to many persons with and without physical limitations. ... Read more

Book Description
Roy Campanella loved baseball. A professional player from the age of fifteen, he later became the first African-American catcher to integrate Major League Baseball. Fans and players adored Campy for his good nature, and cheered his multiple MVP awards as a Brooklyn Dodger. But in 1958, his career ended when a car accident left him a quadriplegic. Refusing to give in to self-pity, Campy became a Dodgers coach, held baseball clinics for teenagers, and bravely advocated for the disabled.

With honesty and affection, award-winning author David A. Adler tells the story—complemented by stunning oil paintings by Gordon C. James—of a man who was so much more than a sports hero. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Campy is a hero
Reviewed by Matthew Feliciano (age 7) for Reader Views (1/08)

I really liked this book because it told a true story about Roy Campanella.I think the author did a very good job of telling this story.The author told interesting things about Roy Campanella and when I was reading the book I felt like I was living Campy's life right with him.The illustrations were not so good. I did not like the way they looked like paintings.The faces seemed "bubbly" and they looked funny.

In "Campy," we learn all about the baseball player Roy Campanella.He is a hero for many reasons.First, he did not let the color of his skin stop him from doing what he wanted to do.He was the best baseball player out there.He was very professional and polite to everyone and was a good person.

The second reason Campy is a hero is because when he had a car accident and couldn't move, he never gave up.He kept living his life and went on to teach baseball to others from his wheelchair.

In "Campy: The Story of Roy Campanella," Campy can teach everyone a lesson: the color of your skin does not matter.What matters is how you feel and how you act.
... Read more

Product Description
Features the Born to Play Story of Roy Campanella, ... Read more