On Tuesday, the renowned Dodgers broadcaster announced that he died at his home in Hidden Hills. He was 94 years old.
Stan Kasten, the CEO and President of the Dodgers, expressed, “We have lost an icon in Vin Scully, one of the greatest voices in all of sports.” Vin Scully was not only a broadcaster but also a giant of a man, known for his humanitarian efforts. He was adored by the people and had a deep love for life, the Dodgers, baseball, and his family. His voice will forever be etched in our minds and will always be heard.
“It was a modest object, but it was called his own.” He referred to it as a literary status, turning a simple story into a folksy tale by skillfully interweaving strikes and balls between nine innings. Over the course of more than six decades in the broadcast booth, Scully’s ability to capture the ebb and flow of the game made him a Hall of Famer.
Costas praised Scully’s “mastery of language and caliber of articulation, the mere resonance of his voice,” experienced sports broadcaster Bob. He also understood when to remain silent, allowing the roar of the audience to speak on behalf of itself, the offspring of Irish migrants.
Add these gifts to the longevity of Clayton Kershaw’s career, which spanned the history of the Dodgers from Jackie Robinson to Sandy Koufax’s perfect game, Kirk Gibson’s World Series heroics, and Hank Aaron’s eclipse of the all-time home run record. Scully presided over some of baseball’s greatest moments, covering golf and tennis as well as football during his stints on television networks.
Throughout the team’s history, as players came and went, fans consistently voted Scully as the most unforgettable figure and the voice of the Dodgers.
Sports coursed through his veins. Edward Vincent Scully was born on November 1927 in the Bronx, when he was only 7 years old, his father passed away from pneumonia and his mother relocated the family to Brooklyn.
The sound of the crowd would come out of the speaker like water washing me down and it seemed like a showerhead. Something would happen and the announcer would get excited. “I would be directly over my head and I would crawl underneath the speakers, it had this big old radio,” he told The Times in 1994.
He later became synonymous with the Brooklyn Dodgers, who were his favorite team and the rival team he hated the most, the New York Giants. As a red-haired boy, he spent his summer days playing stickball in the streets and collecting empty soda bottles to get refunds, which allowed him to buy a 55-cent ticket to Polo Grounds.
Took on a new shape his passion for the sport following a period of time when his schooling was put on hold due to his service in the Navy, which lasted until 1945. Participated in two seasons as a center fielder for the baseball team Scully was enrolled in at Fordham University.
The 23-year-old newcomer, Desmond, studied behind the broadcasts of Connie and Red Barber, the legendary broadcaster for the Dodgers. In 1950, after his graduation, Red Barber, the legendary broadcaster, called him and offered him a job. He had heard of him and led him to work at a radio station in Washington, D.C., After his newspaper school stint.
Scully once stated, “Red Barber ingrained in me the importance of always aiming for the center.” “I will also express the same sentiment if he made a mistake,” the fans will trust me because I prefer to believe that if I acknowledge someone’s impressive catch.
Prior to falling silent, Scully proclaimed the Brooklyn Dodgers as the world champions, describing their inaugural World Series triumph a year later, and assuming control in 1954. Barber, on the other hand, switched to the New York Yankees, but his tenure there was short-lived, lasting only a few years.
He felt closer to the players in those days if he uttered another word, afraid that his voice might crack, and he had reserved a sense of trademark for himself, his best emotions in truth.
In the autumn of 1957, Los Angeles relocated and organized “Dem Bums,” the baseball team famously called the Dodgers, due to the deadlock between Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley and New York officials regarding the construction of a new stadium.
“The Fordham Songbird with the .400 vocal cords,” nicknamed by the deceased Times columnist Jim Murray, was the gentleman with the impeccably groomed hair and well-ironed jacket, the broadcaster whom supporters grew accustomed to. His vocal tone became increasingly melodious, his delivery slowed down to match Southern California’s more relaxed tempo, which took a couple of years to occur. Scully communicated in a slightly elevated pitch, with his speech being more rapid during that time.”
He never relied on catchphrases to punctuate critical moments. Without any difficulties, Scully could spread several anecdotes across even batters, pitching alone for much of his career.
Occasionally, he would explore territories beyond the realm of the obscure, utilizing lesser-known information and historical anecdotes, and infusing everyday occurrences with immense theatrics. However, on certain occasions, his language appeared somewhat clichéd.
Occasionally, Scully also drew criticism. The players who were out walking mentioned that he did not choose to strike the baseball before the night of 1981. Jeff Kent, the second baseman, later bristled when Scully mentioned that Manny Ramirez was hitting better with the lineup.
“Vin Scully speaks excessively,” Kent remarked.
Listeners and colleagues appeared to pardon any such indulgences.
“Vin Scully speaks more words than any other broadcaster, but he’s entitled to,” Costas said in 2009. “He speaks them so well.”.
When the Brooklyn Dodgers arrived, the roster of the team featured players such as Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax, who were up-and-coming pitchers, as well as Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider, and Don Drysdale. The team was not very good, but they needed every syllable when pronouncing their names in the 1958 season.
The activity on the playing field of Dodger Stadium was comprehended by those transistor radios, as spectators were compelled to observe baseball in the football-focused L.A. Memorial Coliseum, since Dodger Stadium had not yet commenced. Occupying a seat 79 rows up exacerbated the situation.
Striking a delicate balance between providing entertainment without diverting attention from the game, that is when Scully utilized his anecdotes and intriguing facts most effectively.
“Bonanza.” The television season began with a few games airing from San Francisco, showcasing the top viewership that rivaled the Dodgers-Giants showdown. The flagship station of the team made its way across Southern California’s car culture, radiating his words through car radios and dashboards.
“It may sound corny,” Koufax once said, “but I enjoyed listening to Vin call a game almost more than playing in them.”.
In 1965, Koufax delivered numerous unforgettable moments in his historic performances, making the summer soundtrack as none other. Scully’s commentary provided a string of bigger-than-life experiences.
Two extraordinary performances unfolded, both in the commentator’s box and on the playing field. Scully referred to it as “undoubtedly the most challenging stroll of his professional life.” Just a mere three outs away from achieving a flawless game, the renowned pitcher, who is a member of the Hall of Fame, made his way to the pitcher’s mound in the ninth inning while the Dodgers faced off against the Chicago Cubs.
With each successive pitch, as Koufax maneuvered his way through the inning, Scully delivered a captivating narration. The commentator keenly observed every aspect: Koufax adjusting his belt and wiping his forehead, the rest of the Dodgers pitchers leaning against the bullpen fence to observe, and enthusiastic fans clamoring for a strike on every occasion.
Scully stated, “There are 29,000 individuals in the stadium and a million butterflies,” later adding, “Many spectators in the stadium at present are beginning to perceive the pitches with their emotions.”
In the city of Los Angeles, California, at 9:46 p.M., It was noted on the scoreboard at the right field that “Scully mentioned: When Harvey Kuenn swung and missed the final pitch from the Cubs, the cheering fans could only be heard by the listeners for more than 30 seconds.”
“It was similar to a flawless essay written spontaneously, straight from his mind,” Costas stated.
In the 715th record-breaking game, Aaron’s run home in Atlanta was famously called by Scully in 1974. This home run in the ninth inning propelled the upstart Dodgers to the Championship, as Gibson slammed a run home against the injury-hobbled Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series while sitting behind the microphone.
“Scully exclaimed as the ball sailed over the right-field wall, saying, ‘That year has been so impossible and improbable. She is gone!'”
Through the dog days of summer, he carried listeners as the truest measure of the man’s talent emerged in less glamorous moments.
Every time he stepped up to bat, he would make a clever remark. The stands were filled with children who eagerly watched every game, including the shots. He had a way of describing the game with words that painted a picture, and he still uses those same words when he replays the instant before a new generation. His broadcasts have a familiar tone that he has managed to retain. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, and when the team was struggling, the fans trusted him.
Scully once remarked, “Andre Dawson has a bruised knee and is considered day-to-day. … Don’t we all?” In reference to an opposing player named Talking.
Describing the remarkable Bob Gibson, who worked quickly on the mound, Scully observed: “He pitches as though he’s double-parked.”.
The Dodgers said that if there was a way to split the series, they would find it, even though they had a mediocre season in 1990.
Following that, he started to become more secluded, but the Dodgers required his presence for promotional events to attract fans during those initial years on the West Coast. Scully never actively pursued attention for himself despite his popularity in Los Angeles — a city captivated by fame.
To relocate his family, he decided against answering the Yankees’ call in the 1960s, which presented him with a more prestigious position at a renowned franchise. “I suppose I have what they refer to as the desire to settle down,” he once stated.
Michener James, along with other famous court trials regarding books, was devoted to reading and sharing his love for literature with his grandchildren and children at home.
“I’m definitely not a scholar,” he stated. “I simply possess a relatively inquisitive intellect.”
“Then he hops into the vehicle for his commute to the workplace and belts out tunes,” his second spouse, Sandi, recounted. Scully frequently whistles or croons along to Broadway favorites, as music from the stereo speakers fills the entire house.
Hardships about him are rarely heard, at least not from his fans. Booth kept his personal life out of the broadcast, as Scully worked in both baseball and home, finding ways to separate the two.
In 1972, his first wife, Joan, passed away. The previous New York model had tragically died due to an unintentional overdose of medication for cold and bronchitis, as determined by the coroner. Scully swiftly tied the knot with Sandi, who was employed as a secretary for the Rams, and their family expanded to include six children. He was left to care for three children.
Scully chose a coffin while visiting the new grandchild, taking turns, after Michael’s passing. He collided with unmarked power lines in his helicopter while inspecting pipeline damage in Central California as an engineer for an oil company. In 1994, misfortune struck once more.
“There is no way you can ever imagine losing a son, to even imagine this day is overwhelming to you that you can’t get a grip on it, but where your work can help you through a couple of hours a day, he said in 1998.”
By the 1990s, he was known throughout the entire country as the voice of Major League Baseball’s “Game of the Week,” covering various golf tournaments and All-Star games from the mid-1970s through the ’80s on radio and television networks.
He made an off-camera request to the singer Ray Charles when interviewing Kevin Costner with the Dodgers’ play-by-play man Bob Costas, including several appearances in movies such as “For Love of the Game,” and he also had a stint announcing pro football games.
“He remarked that his broadcasts are nearly melodic,” Costas recalls Charles saying. “The audio is what is important to me.”
Costas gathered the men for a television interview well before several years had elapsed. Scully discussed Charles’ “Born to Lose” recording, and Charles mentioned several of the announcer’s renowned broadcasts.
Costas remembered, “I believe Vin was extremely delighted to encounter Ray. However, Ray was beyond thrilled. It was akin to a child meeting their most cherished athlete.”
Scully was exceptional. Even among this group, Bob Miller would achieve Hall of Fame status as a hockey announcer for the Kings. Dick Enberg covered Angels games, while Chick Hearn was building his own illustrious career with the Lakers. It was a remarkable era for sports commentators in Southern California.
Curt Gowdy and Mel Allen, widely regarded as top sportscasters of all time, were voted by their peers as the best in the American Sportscasters Association. In 2009, Gowdy earned an Emmy Award for his lifetime achievement, and he was named national sportscaster of the year four times. In the same year, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 1982, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of the broadcasters’ wing.
Selig informed the Washington Post in 2005, “Every time I contact the Dodgers, I request to be placed on hold.” I explain, “‘Because I desire to listen to Scully for a brief period.'” And if they inquire about the reason,
The remainder of the game was broadcasted on both television and radio for the TV viewers. Additionally, when the Dodgers played at their home stadium, only a few innings were played. In the last seasons of his extensive career, he adopted a limited schedule and ceased traveling to games located east of the Rocky Mountains.
The game fittingly ended. Scully noticed before the inning began and took notice of it. The players agreed on a plan, looking up at the broadcast booth before each at-bat and tipping their caps. Eventually, Scully announced that the 2016 season would be his final one, working on a string of one-year contracts.
As Culberson, the reserve infielder, swung and drove the ball deep to the left field, Dodger bench emptied. Scully intoned the game-winning hit. Do you believe the Dodgers would celebrate and clinch the division and score a home run on the schedule?
Then he stayed quiet for a whole minute.
He posted a photograph showing off the ring that he gave to the team, the World Series 2020. He allowed all of his grandchildren to share his memories and thoughts on social media, and in January 2021, he passed away due to complications of ALS. Retirement afforded him more time to spend with Sandi.
During an interview with Bill Plaschke, a columnist for the Times, Scully discussed the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
From the depths of the Depression, we fought our way through World War II. When Japan signed a treaty with our country, everyone was thrilled, relieved, and happy. “I remember how we danced and celebrated,” he said. We’re going to have to accept the ups and downs of life; this is just another way of getting out of it.
In the last few years, Vin Scully made infrequent public appearances but his familiar voice often rang through Dodger Stadium in prerecorded videos and promos, even though it was never the same as having him there on a clear and bright afternoon at the ballpark.