The sports world woke to the news this morning of the passing of broadcasting legend, Vin Scully. Scully, was iconic in every sense of the word. From his legendary career as the voice of the Dodgers to his work for NBC calling MLB games and CBS calling football games, the game meant more hearing his voice.

One memory I have in particular is Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. By now, Scully was a legend, and had seen virtually everything, Henry Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s Home Run record, Bill Buckner misplaying a grounder at Shea, eventually extending Red Sox and their fans misery. Dwight Clark’s infamous catch, God. How lucky Vin was and the fans to share in all those moments!!!!

Sorry, nostalgia can get me rambling.

Anyways, 88 World Series, you had a good hitting, scrappy Los Angeles Dodgers team with players like Kirk Gibson and Orel Hershiser who could pitch really well against a really good Oakland A’s team. Oakland had, The Bash Brothers, Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, who just, well bashed everything, they had steady starters including Dave Stewart, and they had Eck. Eck is short for Dennis Eckersley, Oakland’s closer. This was before Mariano, Eck was essentially unbeatable, a plus fastball , nasty slider and ‘tude, miles and miles of tude. The stage was set and Game 1 happened to be in LA.

So, the game starts, LA goes up 2-0 early, then Canseco went full Mongo and blasted a Grand Slam for the As, giving them a 4-2 lead. As if the World Series wasn’t big enough, LA’s heartbeat in Kirk Gibson had two bad knees, I mean, he could barely walk, literally. So, you figured he isn’t playing, despite Bob Costas’ reports ‘he’s taking some swings of a tee.’

LA would get one back in the 6th, but, you just had the feeling Eckersley was waiting, so this 6 year old went to bed.

The next morning I got up craving French Toast. It was Sunday and that meant people at my grandparents after church, but, since we weren’t the church going type, we generally misses out on any deliciousness.

Resigned to that fact and realizing we had bread at home, I yawned a hi to my Dad who was seated in his chair sipping coffee. I snagged the sports page going immediately to Notre Dame, they won…..on to the NFL games.

‘You missed one hell of an ending last night!’ my Dad began

‘Really?’ I grinned half groaning half smiling

(Sip)

‘Yup’ (Sip and a slight wrinkle)

‘Ok! Tell me! There’s more to this than a grounder that got thru in extras’

(Not quietly enough) ‘Fuck yeah there was!!’ (Sip)

Now, by this point, you’ve realized my Dad in our time together was a kidder, the ultimate ball-buster….and I being 6, fell for it, without fail.

‘Tell meeeeeeeee!!!!!!!’

‘Ok, that vein in your neck….ok I’ll tell you. Remember during the game Gibson was hitting off a tee?’

‘He played?!?’

‘He batted only once, in the ninth, against Eckersley’

My eyes were wide as I looked at the time….

‘ok 10:00!!!! ESPN NOW!!!!’ Reaching for the remote but stopped by my Dad.

‘They won’t have his full at bat, and you really had to hear Vin Scully’s call to appreciate-‘

‘I could punch you!’

‘Now, we don’t have any tape but you know who would, your grandfather!!!! He tapes all the big games‘

‘Yeah but by the time I see him it’ll be so overplayed it won’t….’

‘Pal, trust me, it would mean more to him than you know because he knows you would appreciate it and then you’d talk to him and listen afterwards. He’ll be happier than a pig in shit! Plus, we all get breakfast!!!’

Ignoring Dad’s bad language example, joined by my Mom we drove to my grandparents house.

‘Mr D….please tell us you taped the game, your grandson missed the ending and is dying to see it and talk about it with you’

‘Sure did!’

I excitedly sat on the floor. We watched Canseco’s moonshot and the Dodgers claw their way back, then it was time Eck vs Kirk Gibson, somehow.

This is where Vin took over.

‘And look who’s coming to bat….’

During the at bat, watcbing it then and re-watching it now, Gibson looked rough. He could barely move, he somehow kept fighting off Eckersley’s best stuff.

3-2 pitch, Gibson swung and got all of it!!! ‘High fly ball to left field, she is gone!!!

I could feel my Dad bear hug me. ‘Told ya, let’s go eat and talk more’.

That’s how I, like so many others will remember Vin Scully, narrating moments and connecting generations.

Rest in Peace, Vin.