A trio of three California Democrats — Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra — introduced a resolution honoring Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully.
Scully begins the home stretch of his illustrious 67-year career on Friday, as he’ll call the Dodgers’ final three games against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. “Vin Scully is a national treasure. During so many iconic moments in baseball history — like when Sandy Koufax pitched a perfect game and when Hank Aaron broke the home run record — it was Vin Scully’s voice that we all heard,” Senator Boxer said.
“I am proud to join with millions of Californians and baseball fans across this country to honor him for his seven decades of faithful service to America’s national pastime.”
The Dodgers honored the iconic voice of the franchise throughout Vin Scully Weekend at Dodger Stadium, which included a pregame ceremony on Sept. 23, and distribution of multiple promotional items.
“Vin Scully is already a legend in America, not just in Los Angeles or in baseball. He is an icon who has brought a love for the game to millions of fans,” House Democratic Caucus Chairman Becerra said.
“His integrity, can-do spirit, and devotion to baseball are bound to define sports broadcasting for decades. It will be an emotional day hearing him call his last game for the Dodgers on October 2nd. But like a favorite song, we’ll never forget the sound of the melodic voice of the great Vin Scully.”
For as much as Scully is revered within the Dodgers organization and fan base, he’s also admired by those without ties to Los Angeles. “Although I’ve been a Giants fan for nearly 60 years, it’s impossible not to have great admiration and affection for Vin Scully,” Senator Feinstein said.
“Vin really is the heart and soul of the Dodgers—and of Los Angeles. The average professional baseball career lasts around five years, and managers are long in the tooth after a decade. Vin Scully, on the other hand, has devoted 67 years of his life to the Dodgers. Vin’s deep love for his team and his town are wonderful examples for all of us. I wish Vin the best in his well-deserved retirement.”
Full text of the resolution:
Honoring Vincent Edward “Vin” Scully, the United States baseball broadcaster who has magnificently served as the play-by-play announcer for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers for 67 Major League Baseball seasons since 1950.
Whereas Vincent Edward “Vin” Scully was born in the Bronx, New York, on November 29, 1927;
Whereas Vin Scully was raised in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York;
Whereas when Vin Scully was 8 years old he decided he wanted to become a sports announcer;
Whereas in 1950, at the age of 22, Vin Scully joined the radio and television broadcast team for the Brooklyn Dodgers;
Whereas in 1953, at the age of 25, Vin Scully became the youngest individual to announce the broadcast of a World Series game;
Whereas Vin Scully announced Brooklyn Dodgers’ games through 1957, after which he moved with the Dodgers to Los Angeles as the first team in Major League Baseball to play in Southern California;
Whereas Vin Scully is credited with teaching the game of baseball to Los Angeles;
Whereas since 1950, Vin Scully has announced more than 9,000 Major League Baseball games and almost 1/2 of all Los Angeles Dodgers games ever played;
Whereas Vin Scully has announced numerous iconic moments in baseball history, including—
(1) on September 9, 1965, Vin Scully announced Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Sandy Koufax’s perfect game against the Chicago Cubs, concluding, “Sandy Koufax, whose name will always remind you of strikeouts, did it with a flourish. He struck out the last 6 consecutive batters. So when he wrote his name in capital letters in the record book, that ‘K’ stands out more than the ‘oufax’.”;
(2) on April 8, 1974, Vin Scully called the 715th homerun by Hank Aaron to break Babe Ruth’s longstanding homerun record, stating, “What a marvelous moment for baseball, what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the State of Georgia, what a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron.”; and
(3) on October 15, 1988, during Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium, Vin Scully announced a game-winning, pinch hit homerun by injured Los Angeles Dodger Kirk Gibson against Oakland Athletics’ reliever Dennis Eckersley, declaring, “High fly ball into right field. She is gone … In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.”;
Whereas Vin Scully has described the exploits of some of baseball’s all-time greats, including Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Duke Snider, Don Sutton, Fernando Valenzuela, Tommy Lasorda, Orel Hershiser, Mike Piazza, and Clayton Kershaw, among many others;
Whereas Vin Scully has been nicknamed “The Shakespeare of Baseball”, “The Voice of the Dodgers”, and “The Voice of Summer”;
Whereas Vin Scully has been awarded the honors of—
(1) National Sportscaster of the Year from the National Sports Media Association in 1965, 1978, and 1982;
(2) Ford Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982;
(3) induction into the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame in 1991;
(4) induction into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1992;
(5) Life Achievement Emmy Award for Sportscasting in 1995;
(6) induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1995;
(7) Sportscaster of the Century from the American Sportscasters Association in 2000;
(8) induction into the California Sports Hall of Fame in 2008;
(9) induction into the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2009
(10) Ambassador Award of Excellence from the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission in 2009;
(11) Top Sportscaster of All-Time from the American Sportscasters Association in 2009;
(12) Baseball Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award in 2014; and
(13) 32-time California Sportscaster of the Year;
Whereas, on September 23, 2016, during a pregame ceremony at Dodgers Stadium to honor Vin Scully for his iconic life and contributions, he was likened to Norman Rockwell and film character George Bailey; and
Whereas Vin Scully will announce his final game on October 2, 2016, when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the San Francisco Giants: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That Congress—
(1) honors the life and legendary career of Vincent Edward “Vin” Scully, whose character, artistry, and storytelling as an announcer for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers has set the standard for sports announcing; and
(2) wishes Vin Scully a fulfilling retirement as he bids farewell to the broadcast booth following the 2016 Major League Baseball season.
