Win For Vin

Vin Scully – the man, the broadcaster, the Dodger legend.  Nearly every generation alive today has at least one memory listening to, watching, or experiencing the greatest baseball announcer to ever live.  Our children, our parents, our grandparents, and for some, even our great-grandparents grew up listening to Vin call Dodger games.

He began his professional broadcasting career in Brooklyn in 1950 at the ripe young age of 22 years old.  Vin even called games when Jackie Robinson played for the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Let that sink in for a moment.

In 1953, Vin took over after senior broadcasters Red Barber and Connie Desmond got into a salary dispute with World Series sponser Gillette – a fortuitous event that opened the doors for Vin’s legendary career.  Vin moved from New York to Los Angeles with the Dodger organization in 1958 where he spent the remainder of his 67-year tenure.

No one will ever come close to having a career like Vin’s.  Not only did he call Dodger games for 67 years, he also called 28 different World Series’ (including all 6 Dodger wins), 21 no-hitters and 3 perfect games – one of which was pitched by the famous Sandy Koufax.

Baseball fan or not, ask anyone alive today if they’ve heard of the name Vin Scully.  Chances are the answer would be a resounding “Yes,” proving that he touched more lives than we will ever know.  As Dodger fans we were given a gift when Vin Scully first started announcing games, and saying that he will be missed is an understatement.

As he stood on the field this evening and had his famous microphone retired, he looked up with a twinkle in his eye and pointed to the retired numbers of Dodgers’ past, “Those are numbers to many…[but] to me they are friends of mine throughout my baseball life.”

To all of us, Vin’s “baseball life” will always be remembered by more than just a voice behind a microphone.  He will be remembered as more than just a Dodger.  Vin will be remembered as a friend…and as family.  From all of us wearing Dodger blue we say “Thank you”.  There is no doubt that decades from now your iconic voice will be heard before every game when “It’s time for Dodger baseball!”

BakoBoyInBlue