Major League Baseball

10 amazing facts about Vin Scully's career

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:47 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Lindsey Foltin

Vin Scully's retirement marks the end of an era. Not just for Dodgers fans, but for all of baseball.

While Vin has been extremely humble throughout his career and now in his retirement, we can't help but be in awe at his accomplishments over the years. Here are some of the most incredible facts about Vin Scully and his illustrious broadcasting career.

He is the youngest to ever broadcast a World Series game

Vin was just 22 years old when he first stepped into the Dodgers broadcast booth back in 1950. Five years later, he found himself doing play-by-play for the 1955 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees. He was the youngest to ever broadcast the World Series and the record still stands today.

He gets a salute from the umpires before every game

Every night before the players take the field, the umpires turn towards the booth and tip their caps to Scully. They've been doing it for decades.

He got his big break broadcasting a college football game

In 1949, not long after graduating from Fordham University, Vin was given the opportunity to do play-by-play for a Maryland football game at Fenway Park. It was a chilly November day, and thanks to an overcrowded press box, Scully was forced to call the game from the roof. Despite near-freezing temperatures and blustery conditions, Vin handled the broadcast like a true pro, impressing Red Barber, legendary voice of the Brooklyn Dodgers and host on the CBS Radio Network. Barber later recommended Scully for the Dodgers' No. 3 broadcasting job.

He has called 19 no-hitters

The first one was on Aug. 11, 1950, when Boston Braves pitcher Vern Bickford no-hit the Dodgers. Notable no-no's called by Vin include Don Larsen's perfect game for the Yankees in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series, Sandy Koufax's four no-hitters (including a perfect game) from 1962-1965 and more recently, Clayton Kershaw's no-no in 2014.

He can make even a grocery list sound amazing

Making out a grocery list is such a daunting task. Reading it can be even worse. Except when it's read by Vin!

He was once a 70's daytime TV star

In 1973, Scully hosted a daytime variety show called "The Vin Scully Show" on CBS. The show featured skits, celebrity interviews, stand-up comedy and even singing. Prior to having his own show, Scully hosted "It Takes Two," a daytime game show on NBC.

He could have been the original voice of Monday Night Football

When Monday Night Football first came to fruition back in 1970, ABC Sports executives wanted to give the gig to Scully, who said he was interested in the job, but it interfered with his Dodgers contract. Scully also said he was weary about the format of the three-man booth. “Because of how football was going to be televised, you’d have one or two analysts now in the booth,” Scully once said. “I had been doing games with Jim Brown on one side and George Allen on the other, and there were times I wasn’t sure, ‘Do I turn to him first for an opinion?’” While Scully turned down thr MNF gig, he called a number of NFL games for CBS throughout the 70's and 80's.

He once played college baseball against a former president

As the center fielder for Fordham back in 1947, Vin once faced off against President George H.W. Bush -- who was the first basemen for Yale at the time. Fordham won the game and both Vin and the former pres went on to find success off of the baseball diamond.

Vin once raced Jackie Robinson on ice skates

If you haven’t heard Vin tell the story already,this is one you’ll want to hear…

His favorite player is a San Francisco Giant

It might come as a shock that Vin's favorite player of all-time did not ever sport Dodger Blue, and in fact, was a member of the rival San Francisco Giants -- Willie Mays. The two legends visited with eachother in the booth before Vin's final game on Sunday, with Vin admitting to Mays "You've always been my favorite player, even though you wore the wrong uniform."

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball