Bob Behler-Host of the Bob and Chris show
The Major League Baseball season starts on Sunday and it will be 67th and last for Vin Scully in the Dodgers broadcast booth. He is mainly doing just home games this year with a trip to San Diego, Anaheim, and maybe San Francisco thrown in. He has talked about not wanting to be a distraction this year, but he will be a story. He’s the best and when the best retires, they are feted at their last stop in rival cities. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera announced their retirements and they were honored in the last trip to the respective city. It’s unfortunate that Scully won’t be traveling much, as it will deny fans around the league to show appreciation to the best.
In addition to doing the Dodgers, many know him from baseball’s game of the week, pga golf, or the nfl. Most people don’t realilze he was on the call of the immortal Montana to Clark winning touchdown for the 49’ers against Dallas in the NFC Championship game, prior to San Francisco’s first Super Bowl.
When I think of Scully, I think professional, great stories, and someone with a tremendous vocabulary. He makes baseball come alive the way very few could. I remember growing up in Northern California, sneaking the old transistor under the pillow to catch the end of the Dodgers game after the Giants game had finished. As a fan, many nights I was disappointed to hear a Cey or Garvey home run come out of his mouth as he described another Dodger victory. As a young, aspiring broadcaster, you wondered how Scully could make it seem so easy. He always had the right story for the right thing that was happening now. He always carried the action and didn’t let the action carry him.
I’ve met a lot of people in the broadcasting industry, but unfortunately not Vin Scully. He’s still got his game and I for one am going to enjoy savoring some of his last broadcasts this season. The All-Star game is just down the road in San Diego this July. Fox should have him call all or part of it. It would be the perfect way for him to go out.
