Vin Scully (Photo from Google Images)
Late last night, the news broke that a part of baseball died. At the age of 94, the legendary Vin Scully has passed away.
When Vin retired in 2016, I went through a box of tissues as I wrote a blog to say thank you. https://alisonstclair.com/thank-you-vin/ And now, as I try to write this blog to say goodbye, the tears are flowing easier than the words.
There will never be another Vin Scully. For 67 years, he blessed the world of sports with the greatest voice that has connected generations after generations to the game of baseball. As the longest tenured broadcaster with a single team in pro sports history, Vin Scully has been the voice to bridge the past to the present. He was a truly a gift to baseball and all of sports.
Vin Scully took over the Dodgers broadcast booth in 1954. A year later, he called the franchise’s first World Series victory, by simply saying “The Brooklyn Dodgers are the champions of the world,” and then remaining silent. The back story is that his emotions had caught up to him. He was afraid listeners would hear it in his voice. However, by taking that pause to truly take in the moment, listeners everywhere felt as if they too were in the crowd. These moments became Vin’s signature trademark in the broadcast booth for his ability to see the bigger picture.
As a true baseball historian, Vin saw it all. He was there in the 1950’s for Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider. In the 1960’s with Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax. He was there in the 1970’s for Don Sutton and through the 1980’s with Orel Hershiser and Fernando Valenzuela. Mike Piazza in the 1990’s. Vin was there for Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, Walker Buehler for the 21st century.
His gift for storytelling was unlike any other. If you grew up in a Dodger family like I did, you didn’t read bedtime stories. You listened to Vin tell baseball stories. My Dad grew up listening to Vin on the radio for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He followed them to LA in 1958. My Dad’s love for Vin and the Dodgers has been a gift that he has passed down to my twin brother and me.
When Yogi Berra passed, Vin Scully said, “As long as people talk about the game, whenever they mention Yogi Berra, they will smile because he was that kind of a human being.” Now, whenever people talk about the game of the baseball and mention Vin Scully, they will smile as their eyes water and say there will never be another Vin Scully.
Grab some tissues and simply enjoy listening to the greatest soundtrack of the summer.
Hank Aaron’s 715th Home Run:
RIP Vin Scully.
Here he is calling Hank Aaron’s 715th HR. pic.twitter.com/YQIyHIdKWD
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 3, 2022
MLB: Vin Scully’s Greatest Calls:
Vin Scully says Goodbye:
October 2, 2016. Vin Scully signs off for the final time. 💙 pic.twitter.com/R85tgy1bHB
— MLB (@MLB) August 3, 2022
You can help keep the posts coming! You can make a donation of any size, I really appreciate your support! https://alisonstclair.com/donate/
1 Comment.
Loved this, Allie! And I did cry!