Armour: Al Campanis, a 50-year baseball career and one live TV interview
From SABR member Mark Armour at The National Pastime Museum on April 13, 2018:
In April 1987 Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Al Campanis appeared on the television show Nightline, on an episode intending to mark the 40th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut with the Dodgers. Campanis appeared live and made some incendiary remarks about African-Americans and their suitability to hold management positions in the game.
Although many people, black and white, came to his defense—and although Campanis claimed he was tired and misspoke, and did not express his long-held views—he was soon forced to resign. He never worked in baseball again.
These five minutes are well known and have overshadowed what had been an accomplished 50 years in the game. This article will not attempt to mitigate what Campanis said, but it will try to shine a light on the rest of his story, examining the whole of his baseball career.
Read the full article here: https://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/al-campanis-50-year-career-baseball-and-one-live-television-interview
Originally published: April 13, 2018. Last Updated: April 13, 2018.