Vin Scully’s broadcasting career began with the Dodgers in 1950, a whopping 64 years ago. Over that time, Scully has called perhaps more famous moments in sports than any other announcer in history – three perfect games, 19 no-hitters, 25 World Series and 12 All-Star games.
Unfortunately, Scully will be out of commission for two Dodgers games due to a chest cold.
Scully missed the first of his two games yesterday as the Dodgers hosted the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. And what a game he missed.
Due to his advanced age and declining health, Scully only calls Dodgers games played in California or neighboring Arizona. Because of his restricted travel, Scully was not able to call the no-hitter Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett threw on Sunday in Philadelphia.
On Monday, Scully almost missed out on another gem as starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu was perfect through seven innings against the Reds before a double down the foul line in the 8th ruined his chances.
If Vin Scully is not there to call a Dodgers' game, does the game actually happen?
— Tony Branco (@TonyRBranco) May 27, 2014
While some Dodgers fans may have blamed the announcer for the game, Charley Steiner, for jinxing the perfect game by hearkening to Sandy Koufax with only 6 outs to go in the game, Scully would be the first to remind those folks that the announcer has an obligation to keep the fans informed.
In the summer of 1960, Scully told the LA Times his opinion about the superstition that no one should discuss a no-hitter or perfect game while it is in progress: “It’s insulting the listeners to make them think they’re silly and superstitious enough to believe my telling them that a no-hitter is going will affect the game… You see, no one expects a listener to hang on to every word for three hours. They leave the radio from time to time and this service must be rendered.”
Perhaps it is that attitude which has allowed Scully to be one of the top sports broadcasters in the nation for so long.
Earlier this month, Scully was asked when he thought it would be time to call it quits. After all, 65 years is quite a long time to call more than 100 baseball games per year. Scully, being the die-hard fan he is, gave a perfectly fitting response:
“And my own personal thermometer is goosebumps. When there is a great play, dramatic play, exciting play, if I get goosebumps, I know I still have that honest enthusiasm because you can’t create that otherwise. As long as I get that, I check and say, ‘You’re still in love with it, you still get excited, so enjoy every minute of it.’ And that’s exactly what I am doing.”
The Dodgers play their second game without Scully at the mic at 10 pm PST tonight against the Cincinnati Reds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLexiZHy9wI
Image via Wikimedia Commons
