It may be just another summer weekend for legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully and his “song of summer” in his booth overlooking the field, but he’s still basking in the state’s declaration of “Vin Scully Day” in California.
In his capacity as acting governor, Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de Leon had issued a proclamation declaring Friday as “Vin Scully Day” in California in honor of the longtime Dodger broadcaster.
However, “basking” may be the wrong word, as Scully is famously modest about his accomplishments.
The proclamation called Scully’s voice, “the song of summer for generations of Los Angeles baseball fans and aficionados of excellence in sports broadcasting.”
The proclamation also urged all Californians “to take time to appreciate the treasure that is Vin Scully as not just an announcer but, as former baseball Commission Bud Selig put it, ‘The embodiment of the goodwill that our game inspires and a reminder of why baseball is forever the national pastime.”‘
The proclamation also quoted a column by Phil Rosenthal of the Chicago Tribune that described the Scully story as an example of how “preparation, hard work, humility, unadorned precision — and knowing when it’s best not to speak at all — can make you better.”
De Leon, D-Los Angeles, was acting governor today with Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom both out of the state.
The 88-year-old Scully has said this will be his final season. He has been a Dodger broadcaster since 1950, the longest tenure for a broadcaster with a team.
Scully has been the Dodgers’ No. 1 announcer since 1954, succeeding his mentor, Red Barber, who had become a broadcaster with the New York Yankees.
Either on the team or NBC broadcasts, Scully has called such memorable moments by the Dodgers (or their opponents) as Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, Sandy Koufax’s perfect game in 1965, New York Yankee pitcher Don Larsen’s perfect game against the Dodgers in the 1956 World Series and Hank Aaron’s record- setting 715th home run.
Scully’s many honors include the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually by the Baseball Hall of Fame to a broadcaster for “major contributions to baseball” and being named the greatest sportscaster by the American Sportscasters Association.
A ranking system devised by author Curt Smith for his 2005 book “Voices of the Game” determined that Scully was baseball’s greatest announcer, giving him a perfect score of 100, based on such factors as longevity, language, popularity and persona.
— City News Service