The announcement of the passing of famed MLB and Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully at 94 Tuesday night led to a lot of tributes. But something that particularly stood out was how many people spoke about Scully’s ability to work stories into the flow of game broadcasts. On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, many shared clips showing Scully (an Oracle Park tribute to him following Tuesday’s Dodgers–San Francisco Giants game is shown above) smoothly mixing stories with calls of the action:
When us mere mortal baseball play-by-play voices attempt to tell a story, a one-pitch out ensues.
When Vin Scully started a story, the game slowed perfectly to his pace & always worked itself to a perfect crescendo.
The man was simply one of a kind.
🐐— Jack Benjamin (@JackBenjaminPxP) August 3, 2022
RIP Vin Scully. Here’s an incredible story he told on the air during a national Pirates-Cubs game back in 1988. pic.twitter.com/9NvHXbC7p2
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) August 3, 2022
Vin Scully's story about Madison Bumgarner and the rattle snake will never be topped. Called every pitch while telling it!pic.twitter.com/V594d8onc8
— Kendall Baker (@kendallbaker) August 3, 2022
That time when the great Vin Scully told the story of him ice skating with Jackie Robinson. #RIPVinScully pic.twitter.com/7O5xxKFVwJ
— Charles (@ChuckyT3) August 3, 2022
Another notable memory was a time when Scully simply went quiet:
After Hank Aaron hit his 715th HR on national TV, Vin Scully said…
Nothing… For two minutes.
He let the scene tell the story. He got out of the way
Then:
“What a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the deep south…” pic.twitter.com/LrTYtU6yjT— Vic Vela (@VicVela1) August 3, 2022
Scully called MLB games nationally for CBS Radio (1977-82, 1990-97) and NBC (1983-89), as well as for 67 years with the Dodgers beginning in Brooklyn in 1950 and following them on their 1958 move to Los Angeles. He also called NFL and PGA Tour events for CBS from 1975-82. Across all of those events, he demonstrated an incredible ability to work in color and stories while still staying on top of the game action. He’ll be greatly missed.
[Jack Benjamin on Twitter]; photo from Kelley L. Cox/USA Today Sports]
