By: Michael Chang
On Tuesday, August 2, 2022, in California, the 94-year-old legendary sports broadcaster Vin Scully passed away. The Los Angeles Dodgers announced his death without publishing the cause.
For 67 years, Scully used his controlled, smooth, and gentle voice to generate his form of improvised vocal poetry while broadcasting for the Dodgers. His broadcasting style included the most accurate and captivating commentary of the action on the baseball diamond. Scully never shied away from referencing phrases from centuries ago to commentate more precisely.
In 1965, Scully broadcasted former Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax’s fourth perfect game and vividly described the record-breaking game with these attention-grabbing words: “On the scoreboard in right field, it is 9:46 p.m. in the city of the angels, Los Angeles, California. And a crowd of 29,139 just sitting in to see the only pitcher in baseball history [who hurled] four no-hit, no-run games. He has done it four straight years, and now he capped it: On his fourth no-hitter, he made it a perfect game.”
In the 1970s and the 1980s, Scully broadcasted golf, football, and baseball for CBS and NBC. However, Scully enjoyed the intimacy of the radio rather than television. With his radio commentary for the Los Angeles Dodgers, he enabled his large audience of listeners to interpret his words and imagine the reality that he presented vocally.
Furthermore, Scully’s fame grew because of his self-restraint. He did not gossip, respected everyone regardless of their affiliations, and most importantly, was empathetic and truthful. To increase the quality of his broadcasts, Scully insisted on commentating by himself to ensure focus and an honest commentary of the game.
Scully received the 1982 Ford C. Frick Award for achievement in broadcasting and became a member of the broadcasters’ wing of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1995, Scully received an Emmy for lifetime achievement. Over two decades later, President Barack Obama awarded Scully the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In 2016, during Scully’s final broadcast, he gratefully addressed his audience: “You and I have been friends for a long time. But I know in my heart that I’ve always needed you more than you’ve ever needed me. [I hope that] God [gives] you for every storm, a rainbow. For every tear, a smile. For every care, a promise, and a blessing in each trial. For every problem, life sends a faithful friend to share.”
Scully’s unmatched optimism, charisma, passion, and ability to engage audiences solidified him as one of the greatest sports broadcasters ever.
Sources:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1659886314958x687100647418001900/Vin%20Scully%20was%20the%20voice%20of%20the%20Dodgers%2C%20baseball%20and%20the%20nation%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf