Vin Scully is a sportscaster that comes along once in a lifetime. He has an unmistakable voice and style that is like no other. Scully’s wealth of knowledge about not only the game but the players that play it is unparalleled. Every game viewers can learn something new about a player or coach as if he is reading from a never ending baseball novel; it is an awesome thing to listen too.
What’s that? You don’t know who Vin Scully is? Well, let me introduce you to the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the last 66 seasons. This is Vin Scully in a nutshell.
Vincent Edward “Vin” Scully has been referred to as “baseball’s all-time best broadcaster” is entering into his 67th season in broadcasting for the Dodgers. He started commentating back in 1950 when the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn. In 1958 when the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, CA Scully went with them. Over his time with the team he did both radio and TV broadcasting, doing play-by-play and color commentating.
Being in broadcasting for as long as Scully has, he has hand the chance to call many exciting moments and a variety of sports. While with CBS Sports in the 1970s and early 1980s he covered the NFL football, Masters and PGA Tour, along with the All-Star games and countless World Series. In 1981 CBS brought in John Madden to being commentating NFL games and because they felt he meshed well with Scully’s then partner Pat Summerall, they were chosen to call that year’s Super Bowl. That event pretty much ended Scully’s time with CBS Sports.
After CBS, Scully worked for NBC and almost exclusively called baseball games. Along with keeping up the Dodgers, he called the Saturday Game of the Week, four National League Championship games, and three World Series. Additionally Scully called such storied moments as Fred Flynn hitting a grand slam during an All Star Game in 1983 and the infamous error made by Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner in game seven of the 1986 World Series. What a win by the Mets!
Scully has won a number of broadcasting awards including the Ford Frick Award for baseball broadcasting, a Lifetime Achievement Emmy, and is being entered into the Radio Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He has been named National Sportscaster of the Year three times, named Sportscaster of the Century in 2000, and has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There is very little Scully has not accomplished.
These days Scully is just calling Dodgers home games and a handful of California away series. Due to his age, he very seldom travels with the team. This will be his last season in the booth for the Dodgers and whom ever is his predecessor will have very big shoes to fill.
If you have a chance to catch a Dodgers home game this season, take my advice and do it. The world may never see another broadcaster like Vin Scully. If you are a baseball fan you can’t help but appreciate the knowledge, style, and humor he brings to each broadcast. Scully is truly one in a million and baseball will not be the same without him.
