Apropos of the playoffs, the other night Mary and I were discussing whose jersey we would purchase, were we so inclined (and moneyed - those things are like 200 bucks, and that's cash that could be better spent on tickets). Mary was leaning towards Garciaparra - a classy guy, indeed - but there's only one name I'd want on mine: Scully. He is, after all, the poet laureate of baseball and one of the patron saints of this blog.
Seriously, imagine for a moment the yarns that would be spun at a dinner party made up of Vin Scully, Eugene Walter, Everette Maddox, and Elaine Dundy. The mind boggles.
Some might deride ol' Vin for rambling on at times, being too "flowery", or talking too much.
Heathens, all.
Consider this, from the third and final game against the Cubs last week:
(transcript via LAist - we were too busy gnawing our fingernails off to take such good notes)
"And the Dodgers are one out away. One sweet beautiful marvelous out away. They will take it any way shape or form. Strike out, ground ball, fly ball, fair ball, line drive, any way they can get their hands on it. That precious thing called the final out.
Broxton delivers, swung on and missed. And now it’s not one sweet precious out, it’s one sweet precious pitch. Listen to this crowd.
No balls and two strikes to Soriano. Broxton ready. Half swing strike three called and the Cubs are dead! [...]
And as the Dodgers mob each other traditionally out in front of the mound, the lost Cubs - a lot of them, Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee - sitting motionless in the dugout, just staring like kids outside a candy store or like the uninvited to the party. Just staring, waiting, watching, knowing there’s nothing left but go back to the dressing room and fly back to a disappointed Chicago."
I swear, the man's voice is a time machine that takes me back to the years before steroids, ridiculous salaries, and the @)#&^% designated hitter.
So in the spirit of October goodness, here's Vin Scully's play-by-play for Sandy Koufax's perfect game in 1965 against the Cubs.
And better still, here's audio of Vin calling Hammerin' Hank Aaron's big hit - he starts at about 54 seconds in, after two lesser broadcasters whoop it up for a bit.
13 comments:
Gotta love Scully. Most radio broadcasters today are more or less TV guys; "poetry" is the perfect way to describe Scully. He's the anti-Hawk Harrleson.
But, man, only player's names go on jerseys. That's a rule. With free agency the way it is, I'd just go blank.
On the one hand, Vin Scully is the exception that proves the rule. On the other hand, I would be equally satisfied with a Roswell Greys jersey that says Mulder on the back.
Here's an mp3 of that ninth inning, Broxton v. Cubs.
I grew up on Scully and Doggett on KFI in LA in the early 1960s.
I like the Grays idea. That would rock.
What number would Scully (Vin, not Dana) have?
I'd say she'd either have 09, for having done all 9 seasons, or maybe the last two digits of her badge number. Doggett could be 50, 'cause he used to be a cop (five-oh). Reyes is not allowed to be on the team, because she is lame. Skinner's the manager, the Lone Gunmen are the outfield, Mulder pitches, Krycek catches, Scully at SS, and on the bases we have X at first, Agent Parnell at second, and either Duane Barry or the Stupendous Yappi at third. Pinch hitting would be that psychic kid, Gibson Praise, and now I am officially the biggest dork in the world.
Oh, and thanks for the link to the mp3!
You, sir, are the überdork. I forgot about many of those characters. Well played.
Speaking of Eugene Walter, he was a friend of mine! I thought of him today because I heard that Adelaide Trigg, who lived at Termite Hall, passed away there last week. Anyway, that made me think of the cookbook, and that's how I found your blog. I'm glad I did.
Hi Jack - always nice to meet another Mobile ex-pat! Bienville Books (www.bienvillebooks.com) has copies - or at least they did in February - as well as copies of Jennie the Watercress Girl and a number of other hard-to-find books by Eugene.
Now I feel the need to go back and reread Monkey Poems and Semilikewise.
Hi, well be sensible, well-all described
Classic stuff, check ou Infusion more wonderful art, it certainly inspires me.
Wow that's a great story, thanks for sharing it.
Haha look at old Scully go, what a great man!
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