Vin Scully retiring after 2010 season

[savafan]

http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/0...final-innings/

By Tyler Kepner

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – From Bill Plaschke comes news that Vin Scully plans to retire after the 2010 season. Scully, 81, has been the voice of the Dodgers since 1950, when they played in Brooklyn. A Bronx native and a graduate of Fordham University, Scully is beloved throughout baseball, the best at his craft and a giant on radio and television.

Millions of fans know Scully from the “Game of the Week” for NBC in the 1980s. He also called some of the best World Series moments for NBC, including the Bill Buckner game in 1986 and the Kirk Gibson game in 1988. And he did many World Series for CBS Radio, working with Sparky Anderson or Johnny Bench.

Scully is a genius by himself, but what’s striking on the CBS Radio broadcasts is the deference and inquisitiveness he shows to Anderson or Bench, always recognizing what they could add to a broadcast from their experience. With Scully’s descriptions, his wordplay, his sense of the moment — and his own observations and knowledge — listening to those games is captivating.

I can hear the old broadcasts thanks to Charlie Danrick, a New Jersey man who sells audio tapes of old games. When I’m driving home from Yankee Stadium — and Scully’s done for the night on the Dodgers’ XM feed — I can always pop in a classic game of his to guide me. Scully could read an instruction manual and make it fascinating.

I’ve bought several tapes of Scully’s games from Danrick, who is a licensee of MLB Properties and an expert on radio broadcasters. Danrick has a library of some 2,500 games, and there’s no doubt which voice tops his list.

“The one man I feel who has the greatest skill at drawing word pictures is Vin Scully, and once he retires, I do not think there will be anyone any better than that man,” Danrick said. “Not even his mentor, Red Barber, could hold a candle to him. And neither could the great Mel Allen.

“Mr. Scully is simply brilliant; what more can I say? His enunciation and articulation are perfect. His knowledge of the game is perfect. His insight is immaculate. No finer gentleman ever called a baseball game.”

Plaschke suggests a statue of Scully at Dodger Stadium equipped with a listening station, of sorts, where fans can plug in, “pull up a chair” and relive some of his greatest calls. Sounds like a great idea, and I hope they’ll include his call of the ninth inning of Sandy Koufax’s perfect game in 1965. It is, without question, the finest bit of broadcasting I’ve ever heard, as beautiful and compelling as any words have ever been about the game. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen.

[WVRedsFan]

As much as I hate the Dodgers, i love Vin Scully. He's been around as long as I have (heck, he was born more than 20 years before me), and that voice and technique has been heard by me since I first embraced baseball. No one can go on forever, it's a proven fact that 10 of 10 die, but I'll miss him so much. I find myself tuning into the Dodger broadcasts when they're home on XM or watching them on the EI package and just listening--even though I hate the Dodgers.

It won't be baseball season without Scully. Or Joe or Waite Hoyt or even Marty. We're in for a long dry spell after that. It won't be the same.

[RED VAN HOT]

As a kid, no one disliked the Dodgers as much as I did. I collected Dodger baseball cards just to mutilate them. Scully, however, was the best....literate, fresh, perceptive. He always made the games enjoyable. As much as he loved the Dodgers, he was always quick to lavish praise on the opponents when it was deserved. He simply appreciated good baseball players regardless of where they played. He helped me, like so many, develop a true love for this game.

[Reds Fanatic]

Vin will truly be missed. I many times will tune in Dodgers games late at night just to hear Vin do the call. He just provides such great detail and insight into the game that you usually don't get from other announcers.

[Unassisted]

Maybe the Reds could trade them Jeff Brantley to replace Vin?

In all seriousness, I wonder if Thom might seek this gig.

[savafan]

Originally Posted by Unassisted

Maybe the Reds could trade them Jeff Brantley to replace Vin?

I'd send them Grande. He probably already loves some of the Dodgers.

[Topcat]

A legend riding off into the sunset. He has earned it and god bless Vin Scully.

[Ron Madden]

I've always hated the Dodgers but there is no doubt in my mind that Vin Scully is the best there ever was.

[MrCinatit]

One of the best out there, no doubt. A lot of guys loose a few steps as the years go on (Marty, Joe, Harry Carey). But I do not think Vin has. Listening to him call Larson's perfect game to calling any game this year - it sounds like the guy still has it.
And what makes him a true joy to listen to is his pure, unadulterated love for the game and his encyclopedia knowledge of seemingly everything baseball.

[cumberlandreds]

No doubt he is/was one of the best. He hasn't lost anything over the years either. His voice seems as strong as ever and you can tell he still works hard at his craft. he deserves the rest but baseball listening will not be the same.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by MrCinatit

One of the best out there, no doubt. A lot of guys loose a few steps as the years go on (Marty, Joe, Harry Carey). But I do not think Vin has. Listening to him call Larson's perfect game to calling any game this year - it sounds like the guy still has it.
And what makes him a true joy to listen to is his pure, unadulterated love for the game and his encyclopedia knowledge of seemingly everything baseball.

Scully also called Koufax's perfect game. The transcript is in one of the volumes of baseball literature and it reads like prose. It's clear, concise; just wonderful. I think I found it online once. If so, I'll post the link.

Browning's perfect game was against the Dodgers too. I'm guessing that Scully called the game for the Dodgers. That would be three perfect games called in one radio career. I bet you no one else has done that.

[redsmetz]

Here's a link to a nice article from 1999 from Salon.com. There is a link to the Koufax perfect game's 9th inning in the story. But the Salon piece is nice in and of itself.

http://archive.salon.com/people/bc/1999/10/12/scully/

[RBA]

Originally Posted by savafan

Plaschke suggests a statue of Scully at Dodger Stadium equipped with a listening station, of sorts, where fans can plug in, “pull up a chair” and relive some of his greatest calls.

Plug in? Wifi, bluetooth, and small FM transmitter. Who plugs in anymore?

[Sea Ray]

I knew this day was coming but I'm still bummed to hear the news. I was hoping he'd continue until the end like Harry Carey and others but he is in his 80s even though he doesn't sound like it. With the Reds play of recent, staying up late to hear a game called by Vin is one of pleasures I still enjoy in baseball. His insight really is incredible. He must just hang out in the clubhouse before these games 'cause he can tell you what the siblings of an opposing player do for a living, in what clubs the player participated in high school as well as his baseball skills. Scully is also not negative like Marty. Instead of berading a player for a boneheaded move, Vin will say something like that player was taken to school or so and so learned a valuable lesson.

Vin can teach us all something beyond baseball: class

[Roy Tucker]

Originally Posted by redsmetz

Here's a link to a nice article from 1999 from Salon.com. There is a link to the Koufax perfect game's 9th inning in the story. But the Salon piece is nice in and of itself.

http://archive.salon.com/people/bc/1999/10/12/scully/

Nice article, thanks redsmetz.