THE GOLD STANDARD OF BASEBALL BROADCASTERS

By Special Contributor Bob Golon

        I hope everyone is having an enjoyable and safe summer. I’m sorry I haven’t written in the past few weeks, and I will readily explain why. I have found myself to be in a “bad place” recently concerning the topics that I normally write about. Every motivation that I’ve had to write has been the result of anger; anger at the way money and greed is ruining the game(s) that I love, anger at the ongoing steroids saga in Major League Baseball, anger at the boorish behavior of some of today’s athletes, and so on. Quite frankly, I’d rather withhold my anger and not burden you, the reader, with it.

        Oh, there have been some bright spots. Seeing “the Franchise,” Tom Seaver, throw out the first pitch at the All-Star game at Citi Field was a treat and a wonderful trip down memory lane. Seeing “the Captain,” Derek Jeter, hit a home run on the first pitch he saw on returning from the disabled list this past Sunday is a reminder of just how much we’re going to miss him when he finally hangs up the spikes. And, he certainly trumps some of the recent actions of his more inglorious teammate, Alex Rodriguez.

Vin Scully

        Last night, a reason why I’ve found joy in baseball was there for all to see, and I’d like to share it with you. Log on to the YES Network web site at www.yesnetwork.com, and watch Michael Kay’s interview with the legendary baseball broadcaster, Vin Scully. Kay describes Scully as “the Gold Standard” in the baseball broadcasting industry, and Kay is absolutely correct. 
        A native of the Bronx, Scully joined the Brooklyn Dodgers broadcast team as a mere 23-year-old in 1950, at the invitation of the great announcer Red Barber, and has been spreading the joy of baseball to his audiences for 63 years since. Scully is credited for the success of the Dodgers in Los Angeles after their move from Brooklyn in 1958, as the early LA fans used to bring transistor radios in to the
park and listen to Vin Scully “teaching” them the game of major league baseball. His is quite a legacy, and he is quite a man, as Kay’s interview attests to.

        I’ve been blessed over the years to have my summers filled with the voices of Mel Allen, Red Barber, Lindsey Nelson, and Bob Murphy, just to name a few. I’ve also been able to enjoy the inside observations of many ex-ballplayers over the airwaves; Ralph Kiner, Phil Rizzuto, Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek come to mind. Multiply this by the many great broadcasters that have graced the airwaves nationwide – Ernie Harwell, Chuck Thompson, Russ Hodges, the list can go on and on. Baseball broadcasters have provided, and continue to provide the “background music” of summers, and none have done it better than “the Gold Standard,” Vin Scully. 
        Thanks Vin!