DODGER'S AUCTION TOPS $600,000.

Byline: Ryan Oliver Staff Writer

The individual collection of Brooklyn Dodgers great Roy Campanella fetched more than $600,000 in an auction Saturday that family members said will go a long way toward preserving his memory.

Campanella's widow, Roxie Campanella of Woodland Hills, decided to sell her husband's memorabilia, including three National League Most Valuable Player awards, in order to raise money for the physical therapy scholarship foundation the couple founded.

``Roy was a wonderful man who did so much for others after his career ended,'' Campanella said. ``I want to share Roy's memorabilia with the collecting public and continue his legacy.''

Campanella was the first black catcher in the major leagues, playing for the Dodgers from 1948 until 1958 when a car crash ended his career and left him paralyzed until his death in 1993. He played in five World Series and was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.

Saturday's auction in Exton, Penn., surpassed expectations with Campanella's three MVP awards alone fetching $340,000. The auction house, Hunt Auctions Inc., had estimated the awards would bring in around $30,000 to $50,000 a piece.

Other items included Campanella's warm-up jacket, a letter from California Gov. Ronald Reagan and many trophies, cups and plaques. Campanella's catcher's mitt sold for $38,000.

``Overall it did very, very well,'' said Joni Roan, Campanella's daughter and a Daily News employee. ``It was a difficult decision for my mom to auction his collection, but her feelings were that what's going to keep my father's memory alive and his legacy alive the most is the foundation.