Vince Scully

I started becoming a baseball fan in 2007 when the Rockies had their magical run to the world series. For me being a blind person, I enjoy listening to the way the announcers describe the game. Tom Sullivan a friend of mine who is also blind,  described it this way: The announcers paint great word pictures for me. Tom enjoyed listening to Vin Scully doing this. The Colorado radio blog is saddened by the news that Vince Scully passed away at the age of 94 in August. Vince was the Dodgers radio announcer from 1950 until 2016.  Vince was a great broadcaster. He described the plays vividly. Rockies announcer Jack Corrigan knew Vince.  Jack was on the Ross Kaminsky show on Wednesday August third and he said to Ross that one of the things he tries to do when calling a baseball game is use many different word pictures to describe the game. When I listen to a baseball game, I listen to how the announcers describe the game. Jack and Jerry Schemmel will get excited whenever the Rockies would play the Dodgers whether it was at home or on the road.  Vin’s last announcing of a game was at the end of the 2016 season. The last game he announced was the Dodgers against the Colorado Rockies.  Jack Corrigan and Vince went to the Catholic mass together as was their habit when the Dodgers came to town. Vince usually read the passages. That day Vince said, “Jack how about you reading the passage today?” Jack did. After the passage Vince said to Jack that he hoped Jack would be calling baseball games for as long as he did. Jack said this morning he would be 99 years old if that were to happen. Jack will always carry the excitement of each game with him like Vince did.  Jack said that every game is a new story to be told.  Mike Boyle interviewed Barry Stockhammer who spent many years with the Dodger organization.  Barry said that Vince was a special announcer for the Dodgers. Barry mentioned that when you listened to the Dodgers on the radio and Vince Scully on the radio, you were listening to a friend. As a blind person when I listen to Talk radio or sports on the radio I feel like I am listening to a friend. Mike and Barry brought up listening to baseball games on a transistor radio. My dad mentioned to me that when he was younger, he used to do the same thing, listening to Mel Allen and Phil Rizzuto broadcasting Yankee games. If you remember in my Mark Crowley interview, he also mentioned the same thing.  They also talked about that Vince would speak about the game to all levels. Vince brought everyone together. Mike and his daughter Kaylee got to meet him. It wasn’t only the older generation who knew him. People from my generation knew him as well. My feeling is when the Colorado sports are doing well, it brings people together. I think that Colorado fans of sports are some of the best fans. I love it when players mention that to radio announcers. Casey and Scott Bloyer interviewed Connor Shreve on the Bloyer effect on Sunday night August 7, 2022. Connor called Minor League baseball. Connor was impressed with how Vince persevered every season. Connor told the story about Joe Davis who took over for Vince. Joe said that was a master broadcasting class to sit in the booth with Vince when he was calling games. Connor’s favorite memory was Todd Helton’s last home run call. Vince was rooting for Todd to get a hit in his last game. That will always stick with Connor.  

Blind people who listen to baseball games on the radio always enjoyed Vince calling games. I subscribe to the A C B conversations list, and one of the people on that list brought Vince’s passing up. One person, Ray Campbell, said that blind people have an appreciation for the radio voices that paint the picture of America’s past time for us. Whether you enjoy baseball or not, the melodious voice of Vince Scully could be easily recognized. I agree with this!  Larry Gasman who is another person on the ACB Conversations list said he wished that he could have done an interview with Vince. A third person on this list mentioned he met Vince at a lunch and he was very kind. . Los Angeles is one of my favorite places to visit. I would sometimes catch a Dodger game on the radio on 570 KLAC radio and I always enjoyed listening to Vince Skully. Thanks to you Vince for creating such wonderful memories for so many people. RIP Vince.

Thanks for tuning in.