Jackie and Campy

The Untold Story of Their Rocky Relationship and the Breaking of Baseball's Color Line

By: William C. Kashatus

Narrated by: Lamarr Gulley

As star players for the 1955 World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers, and prior to that as the first black players to be candidates to break professional baseball's color barrier, Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella would seem to be natural allies. But the two men were divided by a rivalry going far beyond the personality differences and petty jealousies of competitive teammates. Behind the bitterness were deep and differing beliefs about the fight for civil rights.

Robinson, the more aggressive and intense of the two, thought Jim Crow should be attacked head-on; Campanella, more passive and easygoing, believed that ability, not militancy, was the key to racial equality. Drawing on interviews with former players such as Monte Irvin, Hank Aaron, Carl Erskine, and Don Zimmer, Jackie and Campy offers a closer look at these two players and their place in a historical movement torn between active defiance and passive resistance. William C. Kashatus deepens our understanding of these two baseball icons and civil rights pioneers and provides a clearer picture of their time and our own.

©2014 William C. Kashatus (P)2017 Redwood Audiobooks

More Than a Work About Baseball's Barriers

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would! To me this is a showcase on race and class in America as a whole. Two men face racism in a common arena. Sports. It works as a overview for the times. And it does the job well on the level of explaining what it took to gain Civil Rights and on the level of biography of two sports heroes. Including their differing approach to issues.

What other book might you compare Jackie and Campy to and why?

I don't necessarily look for sports biographies. I have a long standing interest in the struggle for Civil Rights. That was what attracted me here.

Which character – as performed by Lamarr Gulley – was your favorite?

Enthusiasm, to the max! Not just Robinson and Campenella. Throughout this work.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was interesting and well performed but I did take a few short breaks.

Any additional comments?

I'm impressed with both the body of the work, but also with Mr. Gulley's exceptional performance.

This review copy audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost. Which I can only assume was voluntary on their part. I am happy to give my honest review of it. I think I'm suppose to mention how reviewing this was voluntary on my part too.

Jackie and Campy Take On Brooklyn and Race.

Pleasant story of how two All Time Greats in Brooklyn Dodger's history set the tone in the delicate racial integration of baseball and open the door to several other Black players, who quickly became the best stars in the National League: Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Roberto Clemente, and Frank Robinson.

The narrator reveal the different styles of Robinson and Campy as they represented Black players on white teams before huge white audiences for the first time on the field and also as spokesmen before some of the great New York sports writers, broadcasters, and biracial fans across the nation


Many great moments came from their appearances in six World Series, 1949-1956.

Tragedy would cause the early death of both Black baseball legends and Hall of Famers. Jackie died of heart disease and diabetes, Campanella from wheel-chair-bound paralysis due to an automobile collision.

The baseball color line and the back story

What did you love best about Jackie and Campy?

I am a huge baseball fan. I had of course heard of Jackie Robinson and baseballs color line. However there was a lot I did not know that I learned about Jackie and Campy.Campy and Jackie it seems did not like each other; however both were very competitive . It was this rivalry that seemed to push each other and one up the other. This it seems made them both better players

Who was your favorite character and why?

Not a single character ; more the interplay between both of them. One had spent a year in the Negro leagues and was brought into the majors where he flourished . He was a advocate for the destruction of the Jim Crow rules The other was more of the Booker Washington school of thought , don't rock the boat get along and do it all on the field. They butted heads often and by doing so changed the game each in their own way

Which character – as performed by Lamarr Gulley – was your favorite?

Jackie. He seemed a lot like M. Ali in many ways. He was a bit cocky and would say he was the best baseball player ever. He proved it as well with rookie of the year to MVP. He was as good as he claimed.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I guess the cost to Jackie. He suffered from anger from teammates and fans alike. Stress seemed to be a big issue with constant stomach issues and perhaps led to any early death in his 50s. I didn't realize the dislike and the ferocity of it

Any additional comments?

It made me think a lot about the Negro Leagues and how many great players never had the chance to make it to the Majors and spent their whole careers playing for next to nothing. This is a good book if your a baseball fan or interested in the birth pains of the civil rights movement.

We have all heard of MLK and all that he had to endure ;but that was a decade after Jackie who in many ways was the forerunner. I throughly enjoyed the book I was given this book to review. These are my honest opinions, feelings and thoughts

Great History Lesson,

Would you listen to Jackie and Campy again? Why?

Absolutely, this history story was great and I learned a great deal about these two great and their struggles. One thing I have found, if the narration is not great I lose interest. Lamarr Gulley hit it out of the park and keep me interested the entire time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Jackie and Campy?

To me this is a showcase on race and class in America as a whole. Two men with more in common then they realized facing racism in the sports arena.

Have you listened to any of Lamarr Gulley’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

His best work yet. Enthusiasm to the max! Not just Robinson and Campanella, but throughout the book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some parts made me a little sad to see what these two great men had to endure. This rendition kept me interested so I would listen every free moment.

Any additional comments?

I'm impressed with both the body of work, but also with Mr. Gulley's exceptional performance.

I am pleased with the service 3hrs so far.

What did you love best about Jackie and Campy?

Each of them accepted their uniqueness and learned how to walk in it. They lived the best life they knew.

What did you like best about this story?

I like hearing the background story as well as the front story. I like how the author runs back and forth between the two things.

Which character – as performed by Lamarr Gulley – was your favorite?

My favorites are Jackie, Ricky and Camponella.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I do not know. Jackie vs Camponella: Willingness to Make a Difference in Their Own Way.

Any additional comments?

I still have four more hours, and I plan to complete them. It is very soothing and interesting. My husband actually lay right in front of my computer while I was listening to the story and relaxed to take a little power nap. Hearing the clear narration did not bother him. Almost like a bedtime story, I guess. (smile) I listened to the first three hours over two different evenings.