‘Greatest of all time’ Vin Scully made legendary calls on some of sports’ best moments
The unparalleled career of baseball announcer Vin Scully is being celebrated by fans and fellow broadcasters.
His death was announced late Tuesday by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was 94.
Not only did baseball fans revere Scully, but so did his fellow broadcasters. Scully, who retired after 67 years calling Dodgers games on Oct. 2, 2016, has long been considered one of the preeminent voices of the game.
October 2, 2016. Vin Scully signs off for the final time. pic.twitter.com/R85tgy1bHB
— MLB (@MLB) August 3, 2022
Texas Rangers Hall of Fame radio voice Eric Nadel was one of many who shared his reaction to the news on social media.
“No words from me can express the depths of my love and admiration for this man,” Nadel said in a Twitter post.
Scully was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, and worked 34 more years. He spent his 67-year career calling Dodgers games, beginning in Brooklyn before they moved to Los Angeles in 1958. He also called other sports, including football, for much of his career. He was in the CBS booth for “The Catch,” when the 49ers beat the Cowboys in the the NFC Championship in 1982.
“How folks feel about different sportscasters is totally subjective,” Cowboys legendary play-by-play man Brad Sham posted on Twitter. “Except in the case of Vin Scully. The greatest of all time and no one was 2d. Or 3d or 4th. And as great a gentleman as he was a storyteller. One of a kind.”
The Rangers were one of many MLB teams honoring Scully on social media.
“We join the baseball world in mourning the loss of legendary broadcaster, Vin Scully,” the Rangers posted. “Our thoughts and condolences are with the Scully family and Dodgers organization.”
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 3, 2022
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw called Scully “the best there ever was.”
“Just when you think about the Dodgers — there’s a lot of history here and lot of people that have come through, it’s just a storied franchise all the way around. But it almost starts with Vin, honestly,” Kershaw told MLB.com. “He’s just such a special man. I’m grateful and thankful I got to know him as well as I did.”
His memorable calls during historic moments include three perfect games, 18 no-hitters, Hank Aaron’s 715th home run to surpass Babe Ruth, and Kirk Gibson’s walk-off homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series for the Dodgers.
RIP Vin Scully.
Here he is calling Hank Aaron’s 715th HR. pic.twitter.com/YQIyHIdKWD— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 3, 2022
He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2016.
“The game of baseball has a handful of signature sounds. You hear the crack of the bat. You got the crowd singing in the seventh inning stretch, and you've got the voice of Vin Scully.”
From 2016, Vin Scully receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom. RIP pic.twitter.com/wmw9ZcWLOe— CSPAN (@cspan) August 3, 2022
I'm in Bristol, CT reading about the passing of Vin Scully. So fitting. When I started at ESPN right out of college many years ago I remember seeing the @Dodgers home broadcasts being piped into the building from LA and saying "Wait...you mean we get to hear him EVERY NIGHT?!!" pic.twitter.com/RKC8kjEr8c
— Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) August 3, 2022
Vin Scully tells the story about when Jonny Gomes survived a wolf attack when he was 12-years-old pic.twitter.com/qmAJQJCjDq
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) December 8, 2020
And Vin Scully also called one of the most iconic moments in NFL history too. pic.twitter.com/kqWDZyMEv0
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) August 3, 2022
#FightOnForever, Vin Scully.
The voice of our city. pic.twitter.com/gR5DlMmbQI— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) August 3, 2022