Editorials

Great Dodgers Moments: Remembering Vin Scully’s Last Home Game Call

On this day 3 years ago, Vin Scully called his final home Dodger game at the stadium. Although the Dodgers and their fans lucked out in his replacement, there will be never be another legend like Vin Scully.

His Final Call

This needs no words from me:

A Myth, A Legend, A Kind Man

For 67 years Dodgers Nation, Baseball fans, and really the world, was graced by the voice and poetry of Vin Scully. In those 67 years America had seen 11 different presidents, regimes rise and fall, and baseball grow and change.

He called 19 different no hitters. The 1955 Dodgers had Duke Snider, Don Newcombe, Roy Campanella, and Jackie Robinson. He was the youngest person to ever broadcast a World Series game. For decades, the entire umpiring crew gave Vin Scully a salute up in the broadcast booth. From Jackie Robinson to Clayton Kershaw, Vin Scully touched us all with his voice. He became a part of our family, our homes, our lives. His iconic voice and timbre resonated with people like nobody else ever has or ever will. Vin Scully is a part of our hearts.

A Personal Connection

Anyone who knows me probably also knows another reason Vin Scully will always live in my heart  and in my family, as if his existence and career wasn’t enough. Dodgers Nation did a story on this before I was even apart of it, thanks to Gail Johnson. I hadn’t been to a game at Dodger Stadium in many years because I live across the country. My first game at Dodger Stadium in years, and as a father, and this happened

This happened Vin Scully’s final season, no less. I am not embarrassed to say I’ve watched this probably thousands of times. Hearing the heavenly voice of Vin Scully recite Dr. Suess while my daughter took in the environment of Dodger Stadium transcends any paltry words I could assign to it.

After I was informed by a barrage of text messages that this happened, I was in a cloud of joy the whole game (despite the Dodgers losing, by the way.) I knew the gravity of it. As I watch my daughter grow, it serves as a beautiful reminder of the passage of and that the little things really do touch our hearts. How can you not be romantic about baseball?

His Voice Never Leaves Us

Vinny once said, “I guess my thermometer for baseball fever is still a goose bump.” There’s not a single call of Vinny’s that doesnt elicit at least one goose bump from me. From his childlike excitement describing a prank in the Dodger dugout seen here:

To one of the greatest moments in sports history. Notice I did not say Dodgers history. Every one knows that Kirk Gibson’s walk-off is one of the greatest moments in sports history. Vin Scully was brilliant with his words, and just as brilliant when he let the crowd noise narrate the moment.

A Salute To Vin Scully

It’s easy to feel excessively saccharine as a writer when you describe Vin Scully. All the biggest and most cliche superlatives (legend, GOAT, myth, icon) are needed because Vin Scully is the person who most deserves those descriptors. He is the real deal legend, GOAT, myth, and icon. I have found myself looking at the Vin Scully bobble head on my desk while writing this, feeling a sense of wonder about just talking about him. Every year that we remember his last call, his last Dodger game, the amount of love and appreciate for Vincent Edward Scully will never grow stale.

“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 needed me, and I’ll miss our time together more I can say.” – Vin Scully

Give us your best Scully story in the comments below!

AJ Gonzalez

AJ is a lifelong Dodgers and Lakers fan who grew up in California. His whole family is also lifelong Dodgers fans. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, two kids, his guitars, and beagle Kobe.

6 Comments

  1. My favorite was when he called out socialism and Venezuela and he casually worked in the count after. Scully is the best

  2. I will always have a special place in my ?for him.He knows so much information and he keeps it all in his head. It’s hard to choose a special moment for me they are ALL special.His voice will always be missed but lives on in all of our ? forever.

  3. GOD BLESS VIN SCULLY
    HE IS ONE OF KIND I SAW MY FIRST GAME WITH HIM
    IN 1959 AT THE COLISEUM
    GO GO GO
    VIN SCULLY
    MANY YEARS TO COME
    FOR DODGERS
    BASEBALL

  4. I concur completely AJ! Vinny is truly the best announcer EVER in any sport and I consider myself truly fortunate to have grown up with his soothing and comforting voice while watching and/or listening to my beloved Dodgers. There are so many impossibly great memories that I’ve shared with Vinny over the years, from no-hitters to Division Championships to Drysdale’s and Hershiser’s scoreless streaks to the World Championships of 1981 and 1988 including Kirk Gibson’s epic home run (I was actually at the game!). Like you, I grew up in Southern California and was raised on Scully and later moved out of State to Michigan, but Scully remained intertwined in my heart and mind forever. I made a special trip back to California to see his last home game and thrilled at the late game heroics to win the Division and unashamedly cried like a baby hearing Vinnie’s video tribute to his Wife and the fans after the game with his stirring rendition of “The Wind Beneath My Wings”. I can truly say that I Love this man for his great character and peerless talent. Like Bob Hope used to croon, Vinny, “Thanks for the Memories”!

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