Vin Scully: 1927-2022
Vin Scully at the 2008 WFUV gala (photo courtesy of the FUV archives)
Legendary sports broadcaster and WFUV and Fordham alumnus Vin Scully died on August 2, 2022 at the age of 94.
LOS ANGELES — If there's one name synonymous with the Dodgers, it's not a player, manager or any team official. It's Vin Scully. For more than a half-century, there wasn't a Dodgers game that didn't begin this way for fans at home or the stadium: "It's Time For Dodger Baseball!"
Vin Scully began announcing games on the radio and then on television when the Dodgers still played in Brooklyn. He spent more time with one team than any other announcer in sports history, before he retired after the 2016 season. Vin Scully's death was announced by the Dodgers in a tweet. He was 94. It wasn't just longevity that made Scully great. It wasn't his baseball knowledge—which was prodigious. It was his distinctive voice...poetic and philosophical asides, and his talent for making a personal connection with listeners. It was there from the start.
One memorable time in 1957, catcher Joe Pignatano was coming up for his first at-bat as a Brooklyn Dodger. During the broadcast, Scully wanted to make sure the player's family wouldn't miss out. "Say, I tell you what. You might know the Pignatanos. If you do, maybe his wife's taking care of the baby [and] and not listening to the game. Give her a call. Looks like Joe's gonna break into the Major Leagues tonight."
Vincent Edward Scully was born in 1927 in the Bronx. He grew up a Giants fan. But after graduating from Fordham University, he was recruited by the legendary broadcaster Red Barber. Scully moved to the West Coast with the Dodgers in 1958.
Later in his career, he cut back on travel. A devout Roman Catholic, as he got older he'd ask God whether to come back for another year. God may have said yes, but Scully was glad to do it. "I'm so happy to be here. I know it sounds goofy and I'm probably a little goofy. But I'm honestly happy and deeply thankful."
Finally, he decided age had caught up with him. After 67 seasons, 2016 was his last. Before the final home stand, the team held a moving ceremony at Dodger Stadium. At the end, Scully got up and spoke. He told the crowd that they kept him going every time they roared. And, with his under-rated humor he answered the question "What are you gonna do now?" His reply was classic Scully: "Well, you know, if you're 65 and you retire you might have 20 years of life left and you better have some plans. When you're 89 and they ask you what you are--I'm gonna try to live..." Vin Scully once said a player had an injury which made him "day-to-day." Then he paused and added, "aren't we all?"
