(Told You) Vin Scully Is Great

My emotions run deep today as the great broadcaster, Vin Scully, will work from Dodger Stadium, for the last time.

Ceremonies were held Friday night honoring Scully at Dodger Stadium.

That same night I happened across a tape of  “Salute to Baseball,” hosted by the eloquent Jonathan Schwartz, which included Scully’s broadcast, I believe authentic, (i.e. not recreated), of the ninth inning of a perfect game, pitched by Sandy Koufax. (Sandy spoke about Vin, his friend of over 60 years during the Friday ceremonies).

Schwartz, himself brilliant, and the host of a Sunday music show which includes his great tidbits on National Public Radio, marveled on  “Salute to Baseball” (this one likely from the 1990’s) at Scully’s narrative.

Scully cited the time of day at least three times, in all subsequent years, saying the time was noted  for Sandy and “future Sandys,” (those never manifested, either in the form of Sandy having children or any pitcher quite as great).

This was my team, my pitcher and my announcer. A few years later my excitement was so great when a package from Danny Goodman, long affiliated with the Dodgers and related merchandise, arrived by mail.

This wonderful package included a little record (45?) of the ninth inning of Koufax’s perfect game and a bigger record, with highlights of Don Drysdale’s record scoreless innings streak in 1968.

THE broadcaster was Vin Scully! Sandy Koufax struck out the last 6 Cubs’ batters to achieve the perfect game. It was a big Dodgers’ win as they battled for the N.L. title, in which they managed but one hit that was not  in the same inning as the game’s lone run, vs Cubs’ pitcher, Bob Hendley.

In recapping the game just after Scully allowed the applause to subside, another Vin trademark, he stated that “Sandy Koufax, whose name will always remind you of strikeouts did so with a flourish and that when his performance/name was to be written into the record books, the K (a scoring symbol for a strikeout) would stand out more than the “oufax.”

The greatness and essence of Vin Scully is evident in that broadcast!

Vin Scully, pictured above.