A search tells me that, unsurprisingly, I did something similar to this thread once before. However, with the legendary Vin Scully set to retire after an unbelievable and unprecedented 67 years behind the microphone for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, I think it’s time for a new thread to celebrate his career and get thoughts from folks about him.
First, the current MLB thread has provided links to some very good articles about his career and greatest moments:
I’ve been truly spoiled in my life. Up until recently, I spent my whole life in LA. Growing up with Chick Hearn (Lakers), Bob Miller (Kings) and Vin—all of whom spent (or are still spending) more than 40 years announcing for the same team—is something I imagine can’t be matched in any other city, and I’m glad to have been part of it.
I attended my first Dodger game in 1985 and became a fan of baseball right then, but my first actual memory of Vin was listening to his call of Kirk Gibson’s home in 1988. It was many years before I heard what I consider to be the “other” call of the home run (with absolutely zero disrespect meant to Jack Buck). Still get chills whenever I hear it.
Anyway, I already know my feelings about Vin. I’m curious to hear what other people think, particularly those who have had limited exposure to him due to living in other markets (or, God forbid, just not liking him very much). It’s only been in the last six years or so that I’ve started following other baseball teams and getting exposed to other announcers. There are definitely other good ones out there. But there’s only one Vin, and he’ll be sorely missed. I’m glad he’s going out on his own terms.
One does not have to be a Dodgers fan or in the Dodgers market to know and respect Vin Scully. He has been off the national stage for a long time now but his voice is baseball. It is not hyperbole to say there will never be another like him.
for me it will be like when chick herm passed …I wont able to watch a full game locally …and ill remember him when I get farmer john meat…I think he should do one last world series tho…
I’m not a fanatical sports fan, but on occasion when I lived in Los Angeles, I recall hearing Vin Scully and being impressed with his patter. He didn’t talk down or up to players or fans. He just made a lot of sense and it was enjoyable listening to him. You might say he had a good delivery, follow-through, a good batting average, and hit few foul balls.
I will share a semi-personal story here about Vin Scully. A friend of mine found out around Thanksgiving last year that he had terminal cancer (brain tumor). He was always a huge Dodger fan. Somehow, word got to Vin Scully about him and his situation. Vin Scully left my friend a very long voice mail sending his thoughts and prayers to the guy and his wife. It is definitely a move-you-to-tears voice mail.
There is no reason Vin had to take time out of his day to do something like that for someone he didn’t know. But he did. Because he’s just that kind of guy.
When Chick Hearn died I stopped watching or listening to the Lakers. I won’t stop following the Dodgers, but it just won’t be the same. I’ve been a Dodger fan since they came to LA, and their voice has always been the same.
My only connection to the Dodgers is that they broke my father’s heart and ruined his love of baseball when they moved. There is no doubt in my mind that he will forever be the best there ever was. I don’t know if anyone will even attempt to call an entire game (mostly) by themselves ever again.
Indeed, I live in Ontario - the one in Canada, not the one near LA - and know Vin Scully’s voice as well as my own.
One could talk about his technical skills as an announcer all day, but what really mattered is Vin Scully loves baseball, and he made the assumption that his listeners also loved baseball, and so he spoke to them like we all loved baseball. And gosh, how can you top that?
You sure named all my favorite broadcasters right there in the OP, Asimovian. I hope those who still live in LA will get to hear some Bob Miller again, and I’m with silenus that I gave up the Lakers when Chick died. In a way I’m glad to be away from LA and not hearing Vin so much these past few years; I sure would not want to hear his final broadcast.
One of the very best things about Vin is that he doesn’t have a “color man” to “chat with” so he just calls the game, and tells a few stories from his tremendous stock of them. Sometimes when there are two idiots in the booth it seems like they have forgotten there’s a game going on (yes, Astros broadcast idiots, I am talking about you). Certainly there’s no one who calls a game better than Vin and no one who will ever do it for as long as he has and for as well. End of an era, for sure.
A few weeks ago, I was watching one of the weekend games the Dodgers played at home against the Cubs. Vin announced that the Cubs’ broadcast network was going to be joining the Dodgers’ broadcast for an inning. I didn’t realize until earlier this week that apparently several teams have done that in order to give their viewers a chance to hear Vin do a broadcast during his last season—it figures, of course, that Vin would “forget” to mention the fact that it was about him.
Anyway, he seemed positively delighted and genuinely tickled to be talking directly to Cubs fans. He had, of course, a number of stories about Cubs players to share. And it was also really amusing to hear him explain that the reason he “never shuts up,” as I think he put it, was because he was doing a simulcast. I’m so used to it (if I recall correctly, Chick Hearn was also usually doing simulcasts) that it just never occurred to me that anyone wouldn’t understand it.
I was spoiled growing up in LA listening to Vin Scully and Chick Hearn (Lakers and UNLV basketball). It wasn’t until I moved to another city that I found out most people don’t listen to the radio while at the ballpark.
ETA: I’m going to hunt up some Farmer John hot dogs to eat during his last game.
I grew up listening to Dodgers baseball. We’d listen to the games when we were in town, or we’d take long (long) cross-country road trips during the summer and always find some AM station playing a Dodger game, no matter where we were.
For several years now, he has been broadcasting only home games…and Dodgers-Giants at AT&T Park.
KNBR and Comcast Bay Area (the Giants radio and TV homes, respectively) will be airing Vin’s call during the 3rd inning on Sunday the 2nd, his final game, being played in San Francisco.
Vin is amazing and I’m not sure how tuning into a Dodgers home game that doesn’t start with “It’s time for dodgers baseball” is going to be next season. I’ve been watching games with my daughter for the last year so that she can her him call games and at least know great announcing once in her life.
I moved back to the LA area around the all star break and I’ve only been able to watch games the day after. I’m really glad that the last 6 games he broadcasts will be shown on broadcast TV so I can watch every second of them live.
