Campaneris led the AL in stolen bases six times between 1965 and 1972[1] and retired with the seventh-most steals in MLB history (649). Defensively, he led the league in putouts three times; his career totals at shortstop place him among the all-time MLB leaders in games played (5th, 2097) and double plays (7th, 1186), at that position. Campaneris is the second cousin of former MLB playerJose Cardenal, growing up near each other in Matanzas, Cuba.[2]
Professional career
Campaneris attracted the attention of major league scouts while playing with the Cuba national baseball team at the 1961 Amateur World Series, along with Tito Fuentes and José Miguel Pineda.[3] He was signed by Kansas City Athletics scout Felix Delgado, who agreed to a $1,000 bonus if he remained with the A’s organization for at least 60 days; Campaneris was one of the last players to sign with a major league team before the Cuban Revolution made emigration extremely rare.”[4]
A small player at 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) and 160 pounds (73 kg), Cuban-born Campaneris was a key figure on the A's of the 1960s and 1970s. In his debut with Kansas City on July 23, 1964, Campaneris hit two home runs, the first coming on the first pitch thrown to him by Jim Kaat of the Minnesota Twins.[5][6][7][8] He is one of only five players in major league history to hit two home runs in his first game; Bob Nieman (1951), Mark Quinn (1999), J. P. Arencibia (2010), and Trevor Story (2016) are the others to accomplish this feat. Just called up that day from Double-ABirmingham, he also singled, walked, and stole a base.[5][6][7]
On July 23, 1964, Campy Campaneris was introduced on air by Monte Moore, announcer, by explaining a promotional gimmick by Charlie O. Finley, of Campy riding a donkey in from the bullpen.[citation needed]
In 1965, Campaneris led Kansas City in batting average (.270),[9] and shared the league lead in triples (twelve, with 1965 AL MVP Zoilo Versailles)[10] and stolen bases (51)[1], the latter mark being the highest total by an Athletics player since Eddie Collins stole 58 in 1914 (when the team was based in Philadelphia) and also breaking Luis Aparicio's nine-year run of the American League stolen base title.[1] In 1966 he finished tenth in the voting for the AL's Most Valuable Player award after having a similar season at the plate but playing more regularly at shortstop. When the Athletics moved to Oakland in 1968, Campaneris led the league in hits (177),[11] steals (62)[1], and at bats (642); the last mark was an Oakland record until Johnny Damon broke it in 2001.
Between June 10 and June 21, 1969, Campaneris set a major league record by stealing a base in twelve consecutive games, a record which still stands as of 2021.[12]
In 1970, Campaneris batted .279 with career highs of 22 home runs and 64 runs batted in while leading the league in steals for the fifth time (42)[1] and scoring 97 runs.[13] He improved consistently on defense; his six double plays in an extra-inning game on September 13 of that year set an AL record, and in 1972 he led AL shortstops with 795 total chances while also breaking Collins' franchise record of 376 steals. An avid bunter, he led the league in sacrifice hits in 1972 (twenty), 1977 (forty) and 1978 (25).[14]
In his postseason career of 37 games, he had eleven runs batted in (RBI) with three home runs, four doubles and a triple while also scoring fifteen runs and stealing six bases.[13]
In 1972, Campaneris was second in American League shortstop All-Star voting behind Luis Aparicio. Aparicio could not play and all-star manager, and future hall of famer, Earl Weaver, picked all-star reserve Toby Harrah to start rather than Campaneris who was Aparicio's original all-star reserve. When Harrah was injured, Weaver picked his own Orioles player, Bobby Grich, to not only replace Harrah, but to start over Campaneris. The game went 10 innings and Weaver played Grich the entire game at shortstop, instead of allowing Campaneris a chance to play at all. Campaneris' teammate Reggie Jackson reported Campaneris was extremely angry after the game. Campaneris responded to Weaver's slight by his future stellar play against the Orioles.[15][16] In the 1973 playoffs against the Orioles, which Oakland won 3-2, he led off game two with a home run, stole two bases and scored two runs. In game three, he hit a game-winning home run in the 11th inning. In five games he had a .308 batting average, 16 hits, 9 runs scored, 6 RBI, 6 stolen bases and 3 home runs.[16][13]
In Game 2 of the 1972 American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers, Campaneris already had three hits, two steals, and two runs when he faced pitcher Lerrin LaGrow in the seventh inning. After a pitch hit him in the ankle, Campaneris threw his bat at LaGrow. The benches cleared, with Detroit manager Billy Martin going after Campaneris; both Campaneris and LaGrow were ejected.[17][18][19] Campaneris was fined $500 and suspended for the rest of the ALCS by American League President Joe Cronin.[17][18][20] MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn added a seven-day suspension to the start of the next season but permitted Campaneris to play in the World Series victory over the Cincinnati Reds.[21]
In the 1973 American League Championship Series, in which the A's defeated the Baltimore Orioles, he led off Game 2 with a home run, and won Game 3 with a leadoff home run in the eleventh inning; in Game 7 of the World Series against the New York Mets, both he and Reggie Jackson hit two-run home runs in the third inning off Jon Matlack—the only two home runs Oakland hit the entire series. The A's took a 4–0 lead and went on to win to repeat as world champions; Campaneris caught Wayne Garrett's pop-up for the final out of the Series. In 1974, he broke Jimmy Dykes' franchise mark for career at bats (6 023), and in 1976, he broke Dykes' mark for games played (1,702), as well as Al Simmons' Athletics record of 1,827 career hits.
After spending 1982 in the Mexican League, Campaneris returned to the majors in 1983 with Billy Martin's New York Yankees, where he batted a career-high .322 in sixty games at second and third base before retiring.
In his 19-year career, Campaneris batted .259 with 79 home runs, 646 RBI, 1,181 runs, 2,249 hits, 313 doubles, and 86 triples in 2,328 games.[13] His 649 stolen bases place him fourteenth in major league history, behind only Ty Cobb and Eddie Collins in the AL.[22] His Athletics record of 566 steals was broken by Rickey Henderson in 1990; Henderson also surpassed his Oakland records for career triples, if limited to Oakland and excluding Campaneris triples for the Kansas City Athletics from 1964-1967; but neither is in the top 10 of all time Athletics triples leaders, where Danny Murphy leads with 102.[13][23][24] Campaneris still retains the Athletics franchise records for career games (1,702),[23] at bats (7,180 at bats),[23] putouts (2,932), assists (5,021) and double plays (934) at shortstop. Henderson walked over 700 more times than Campaneris (1,227 to 504), but Campaneris had over 1,000 more at bats (7,180 to 6,140), more sacrifice hits (156-59), and both were hit by pitches 55 times; giving Campaneris the most plate appearances for the Athletics.[23]
Playing all nine positions
Campaneris playing in a charity baseball game, 2010
In 1965, Campaneris became the first player to play every position in a major league game in a thirteen-inning 5–3 loss to the California Angels at Municipal Stadium on September 8.[25][26][27] It was an attempt by owner Charlie Finley to sell more tickets, which succeeded as the attendance that Wednesday night was 21,576. Playing a different position in each of the first nine innings, Campaneris started at shortstop, then shifted to second base, third base, left field, center field, right field, first base, pitcher, and catcher.[25][26][28] On the mound, he pitchedambidextrously, throwing lefty to left-handers, and switched against right-handers. His night ended when he sustained a minor left shoulder injury while tagging out Ed Kirkpatrick in a collision at home plate to end the top of the ninth.[28]
Following his retirement, Campaneris wanted to coach in the Major Leagues, but no one gave him a chance. He then landed a few minor league opportunities, until the Seibu Lions offered him a job to coach defense and base running with them in 1987. The Lions won the Japan Series in both 1987 and 1988.[30] Afterwards, Campaneris played for the Gold Coast Suns of the Senior Professional Baseball Association in its inaugural season of 1989. As the oldest everyday player in the league at 47, he hit .291 and stole 16 bases in 60 games.
Campaneris currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, and often participates in Old-Timers' games around the country. He also conducts baseball camps and is an active participant in the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association, often playing in charity golf tournaments.
^Schabowski, Rick. "Dagoberto "Bert" Campaneris". In Bjarkman, Peter; Nowlin, Bill (eds.). Cuban Baseball Legends: Baseball's Alternative Universe. pp. 233–34.
^Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.79, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN978-0-8027-1745-0
