A lot of brain power went into the signing of this television special baseball. The National League’s best catcher of the 1950s, Roy Campanella, was joined by Casey Stengel, Fred Haney, and Leo Durocher, to be part of the 11/23/57 Texaco Command Appearance TV Special. Stengel and Haney had just faced each other as opposing managers in the ‘57 World Series. Durocher was out of baseball at the time, working as an executive for NBC, the network that aired the series of Texaco specials as salutes to famous Hollywood stars. Sadly, Campanella was just a little bit more than two months from his debilitating automobile accident on 1/28/58.



All (4) of these big baseball brains have joined in the signing of the offered ball. Given the event took place during the off-season and heading into the holidays, this has to be one of the last baseballs Campanella signed before his accident. The autographs range (“7’ to “8”), and the signers are arrayed with Campanella on the west panel, Durocher on the sweet spot, and Haney and Stengel on the south panel. The north panel is neatly commemorated with the Texaco star logo, and the legend "Texaco Command Appearance 11/3/57". Full LOA from PSA/DNA. Opening Bid $750.