Vin Scully wasn’t just the voice of a generation of baseball fans. He was the soundtrack of baseball. Generations of baseball fans who watched or listened to the game between 1950 and 2016 know the voice of Scully. Sadly, he passed away at 94 on August 2nd, 2022.
It’s Time For Dodger Baseball
Scully was born in The Bronx, New York, on November 29, 1927. Vin began his broadcasting career in 1950 with what was then the Brooklyn Dodgers. When the Dodgers moved west to Los Angeles in ’58, Scully went with them. And from that moment, he became the voice of baseball across America, from coast to coast. For 67 years, he was in the living rooms of not only Dodger fans but baseball fans everywhere.
Scully Had A Way With Words
Vin Scully was not just a sportscaster. He was a storyteller. His ability to tell a story stemming from his radio days in Brooklyn made him the best. He could describe the scene at Dodger Stadium, and it would make you feel like you were there even if you had never been. When Scully called a game, a person didn’t have to watch. You could just listen. Just continue with whatever they were doing and listen. But also be guaranteed to not only be informed but entertained as well. Nobody was better
Some of Baseball’s Biggest Moments
We all remember the big moments he was on TV or radio for. Kirk Gibson‘s World Series home run in ’88. The ball through the legs of Bill Buckner in ’86. The night Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth‘s home run record. It was Scully who was the background for those and many more. But it wasn’t all just the big games or moments. It was the way he could engage people on a Sunday afternoon in late July. The Dodgers could be up or down, and Scully could grab you. A story about going ice skating with Jackie Robinson. A memory from a game he recalled when Sandy Koufax pitched. Or what Chavez Ravine was like that day. Scully’s natural talent for engaging an audience was second to none.
The Moment Can Tell a Story
Today’s world is all about flash and constant content. Constant clicking. A constant need for another distraction. Conversely, that’s not who Scully was. He knew when the moment needed no words. When to let the emotion from the crowd come through the speakers. The night Aaron broke Ruth’s record, Scully was silent for nearly four minutes. He let the emotion of the moment talk for him. I’ll bet nobody turned the channel looking for something else.
Scully was Highly Decorated
His list of accomplishments is long and deserved and includes the following:
-National Baseball Hall of Fame
-Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016)
-National Radio Hall of Fame
-Three-time Sportscaster of the Year
-American Sportscaster Association Top Sportscaster of All-time (2009)
-Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Thank You, Vin
When Vin Scully retired from the broadcast booth in September of 2016 the sports world lost one of the best broadcasters of all time. Also arguably the most famous Dodger ever. On August 2, 2022, the world lost one of the best humans of all time. So for all generations of baseball fans, I’d like to say “Thank You, Vin”. Thanks from baseball fans for allowing us to join you while you spoke of the game you loved.
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