Vin Scully named top sportscaster of all time
It's not just Dodgers fans thinking Vin's the best. The American Sportscasters Assn. got together and formally named the Blue icon the greatest to ever sit behind a microphone. It's hard to take much umbrage with that decision. It's easy, however, to realize how incredible Dodger fans have had it with Scully calling their games for the last 60 years. Throw in the glory years with Chick Hearn and Bob Miller and Los Angeles is one very blessed town, broadcastically speaking.
Unfortunately, I do come bearing some bad news. I know this will break most of our readers' hearts, but Joe Morgan wasn't Vin's runner up. Try to remain strong, Blue Notes community.
The news release from the Dodgers is below the jump.
AK
VIN SCULLY NAMED TOP SPORTSCASTER OF ALL-TIME BY THE
AMERICAN SPORTSCASTERS ASSOCIATION
LOS ANGELES – Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully has been selected as the Top Sportscaster of All-Time by the American Sportscasters Association. The announcement was made by ASA President Lou Schwartz. The ASA previously voted Scully as the “Sportscaster of the Century” in 2000.
The 2009 season will be Scully’s 60th with the Dodgers, which is the longest tenure of any sports broadcaster with one team in all of sports. Scully last month was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame and has been named California Sportscaster of the Year a record 28 times. In 2005, USA Today ranked the Dodgers’ radio broadcast team as Major League Baseball’s best, based on a technical rating, a fan rating, and an entertainment rating. Scully and his colleagues, Rick Monday and Charley Steiner, earned 28.5 points out of a possible 30.
The New York native was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. In 2001, the press box at Dodger Stadium was named in his honor. Throughout his career, Scully has called 25 World Series and 12 All-Star Games.
Scully headlines the ASA’s list of the Top 50 Sportscasters of All-Time, followed in the top 10 by Mel Allen, Red Barber, Curt Gowdy, Howard Cosell, Bob Costas, Jim McKay, Keith Jackson, Al Michaels and Dick Enberg. Lou Schwartz presented Scully with a bronze microphone at Dodger Stadium on September 24, 2000.
Subscribe to this Blog | What is RSS?
Nothing makes me feel more at home, than listening to VIn.
Posted by: SteelMohawk | January 12, 2009 at 05:29 PM
Most sportscasters provide little more than inane chatter, just background noise subtly implying that they are bored by the game. Vin comes from the radio school of broadcasting--he actually calls the game and enjoys doing so, thus sharing his appreciation for the sport with the fans. There will never be another in his class, and I'm glad that those listening realize how lucky we are.
Posted by: VA Blueblood | January 12, 2009 at 05:58 PM
We are, indeed very lucky here in SoCal to have had the very best guys calling the local teams. Those of us old enough can also remember Dick Enberg calling both the Angels and the Rams in the late 60's. Scully, Hearn, Miller & Enberg. How great was that?
Posted by: John Cox | January 12, 2009 at 06:27 PM
Congrats Vin, we love you...
Posted by: poppinfresh | January 12, 2009 at 06:28 PM
It's curious that L.A. has had such a wealth of broadcasting talent while New York, another media center, has been such a wasteland: Phil Rizzuto, Michael Kay, John Sterling, Suzyn Waldman, Keith Hernandez, Ralph Kiner, Walt Frazier, et al If you've ever had the misfortune to listen any of these guys, you'll really appreciate Vinny. He's never worried about his home run call, and knows when to shut up and let the action do the talking.
If only he could learn how to pronounce Latino names. They seem to give him fits.
Posted by: SaMo | January 12, 2009 at 06:42 PM
what about warren morris? I wish he was still in the league just so I could hear vinny say that name again.
Posted by: VA Blueblood | January 12, 2009 at 07:58 PM
How did he mispronounce "Warren Morris"? Doesn't seem that difficult for an anglophone...
Posted by: berkowit28 | January 12, 2009 at 09:12 PM
Well deserved. I am proud to have listened to him. The day he retires, a little piece of me will die.
John Cox, I remember those days well. That was what sports on radio was all about.
Posted by: dalegribel | January 12, 2009 at 09:40 PM
WHERE'S CHICK?!!? >.<
Posted by: Wasabi | January 13, 2009 at 02:42 AM
berkowit--it wasn't a mispronunciation, it was the way his brooklyn-influenced voice would draw out those R sounds in both names, rising through the first and descending on the last. I loved that.
Posted by: VA Blueblood | January 13, 2009 at 07:26 AM
Vin's a great sportscaster, but I think many of the
guys that called this one weren't watching and
listening to Chick Hearn for 40 years, like I was.
Chick called everything; Basketball, Football, Bowling,
Fights, you name it. The guy was a verbal camera.
Kudos to Vin, but Chickie Babe was an institution,
an icon of broadcasting. There's not a game of any
kind that I see or listen to that I don't think, even to
this day, "I wish Chick were here to call this." I
miss the word's-eye-view, and I bet I've got a lot
of company on that call. Congrats, Vin. Second is
not too bad.
Posted by: Larz | January 13, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Well.... at least the Dodgers org can claim ONE award this year
Posted by: Tryin2LuvtheDodgers | January 13, 2009 at 01:44 PM
Tryin2luvthedodgers,
"Well.... at least the Dodgers org can claim ONE award this year."
Aren't you forgetting that a certain pair of owners was named "L.A. Power couple of the Year?" Haha
http://tinyurl.com/8lnls3
AK
Posted by: kambrothers | January 13, 2009 at 02:08 PM
Congrats to Mr. Dodger. Well deserved! I only wish I could hear your broadcasts more often on the East Coast. From calling Sandy's perfect game to carrying the coffin of Al Campanis. Vin, you are truly Mr. Dodger!
Posted by: Joe the Plumber | January 13, 2009 at 02:16 PM
Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky -HA!...I stand Corrected... though at least Vin's was deserved.
Posted by: Tryin2LuvtheDodgers | January 13, 2009 at 02:25 PM
Great piece about Vin and Larsen's perfect game in the Times and congrats to Vin for being named #1 Sportscaster of All Time by the American Sportscasters Association.
I'll be following and commenting on Vin's 60th season this year at http://listeningtovin.mlblogs.com/ and posting video interviews with ML baseball announcers at http://www.balltalkdvd.com (where my DVD Ball Talk is also available).
Looking forward to the 2009 season!
Posted by: Kevin Bender | January 14, 2009 at 01:13 PM