Campbell, a left-handed batter and right-handed thrower, initially pursued his baseball dreams in 1962, joining the Philadelphia Phillies' system as a first baseman. It wasn't until his ninth professional season that he made it to the big leagues.
In 1970, Campbell earned a spot on the St. Louis Cardinals' 28-man roster early in the season. On April 11, he made his first MLB appearance during a National League game. The very next day, he secured his first big-league hit with a single against the legendary Tom Seaver of the New York Mets. His most memorable moment came on April 14 when his ninth-inning pinch hit off Howie Reed drove in the tying run, leading the Cardinals to a come-from-behind 6–5 victory over the Montreal Expos. Despite these moments, Campbell's MLB career was short-lived, as he spent most of his time on the bench and returned to the minor leagues soon after.
In his 13 MLB plate appearances, Campbell recorded a batting average of .231 with three singles and one RBI. However, his minor league career showcased his power, with 127 home runs in 1,207 games. After the 1970 season, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for Ducky Schofield, playing one more year at the Triple-A level before retiring from the game. Campbell's story is a testament to the perseverance and dedication required to make it to the highest level of professional baseball.
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