Vinny to re-sign for '08!

[Elvis]

Frank McCourt said an official announcement would be made very soon, but that HOFer Vin Scully is signing a contract extention through the 2008 season...

Woo Hoo!

[crzblue]

Frank McCourt said an official announcement would be made very soon, but that HOFer Vin Scully is signing a contract extention through the 2008 season...

Woo Hoo!

Woohoo!! I don't know what I will do when Vinnie retires. He is the reason I take a radio to the stadium. He is the reason my radio has to have a TV sound when he switches to TV as he only does 3 innings on the radio. No one can paint better pictures on the radio than Vinnie.

[Elvis]

LOS ANGELES -- In a press conference Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, the team announced the extension of the contract of Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully through the 2008 season.
Originally given a one-month contract to go to Vero Beach, Fla., and be the third voice in the booth during the 1950 Spring Training camp, Scully has gone on to become "synonymous with Dodger baseball," according to Dodgers vice chairman and president Jamie McCourt.

"The one constant throughout the history of Dodger baseball, including the years in Brooklyn, is Vin Scully," McCourt added.

Taking the podium, Scully started by saying, "I never had a press conference before, so I hope I don't mess up."

Based on his career and achievements, there was little chance of that happening.

Humble as always, Scully thanked God for the opportunity, the good health that has allowed him to sign a contract that will take him through 59 seasons in the Dodgers organization, and to all the friends he has met along the way.

"I was a very ordinary man, who was given an extraordinary chance," Scully said.

Throughout his prestigious broadcasting career, Scully has received numerous awards, including being named the California Sports Broadcaster of the Year 27 times by the National Sportswriters & Sportscasters Association, and in 2000 was voted as the "Sportscaster of the 20th Century," by more than 500 national members of the American Sportscasters Association.

According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, his 57 years of service are believed to be the longest tenure of any broadcaster in sports history.

Scully reached the pinnacle of his career in baseball in 1982, when National Baseball Hall of Fame honored him as the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award.

During his long and illustrious career, Scully has been behind the microphone for some of baseball's greatest moments, including Don Larsen's perfect game in 1956 and Sandy Koufax's in 1965, Hank Aaron's 715th career home run, Barry Bonds' record-breaking 71st 72nd and 73rd home runs in 2001 and all six Dodgers World Series championships.

In 1976, Scully was voted by Dodgers fans as the most memorable personality in Los Angeles Dodgers history, and according to Dodgers chairman Frank McCourt, he "has been the glue for generations of fans."

As for beginning his 57th season with the same job, Scully pointed out that friends have told him, "You haven't advanced since 1954."

Though he admits there are mornings during the season when he thinks he'd like to just stay home or play golf, it isn't hard for him to get excited about going to the ballpark even after all these years.

"I've had a love affair with baseball since I was a little guy," he said, "and when things happen I still get goose bumps."

In addition, he said that his wife Sandi would travel with him more this season and that helped influence his decision to sign on through 2008. As for after that, he said that would depend on how he feels at that time.


Joining Scully and the McCourts at the podium was Jaime Jarrin, the Dodgers' Spanish-language broadcaster and 1998 Frick Award recipient, who praised Scully for mentoring and helping him tremendously throughout his career.

In response Scully thanked Jarrin, "for teaching me to say La Jolla and La Cienega."
With Jarrin and Scully, the Dodgers are the only Major League club to feature a pair of announcers honored by the Hall of Fame.

When asked how he feels about the current Dodgers team, Scully referred to all the personnel changes and said, "I wish we had the names on the back of the uniforms more than ever this year."

Asked about his life-long love affair with the Dodgers going back to his childhood, Scully admitted, "Here's something I've never said. I grew up where I could walk to the Polo Grounds, long gone, and I was a rabid Giants fan. Mel Ott was my favorite player, so I started with the enemy.

After 56 glorious seasons, that little misstep is easily forgiven.

MLB.COM

[west coast orange and black]

congrats to you guys. scully is a living legend.

[Elvis]

congrats to you guys. scully is a living legend.

Jarin is also a living legend in Los Angeles. He's approaching his 50th year as the Spanish voice of the Dodgers. And he too just signed a multi-year extension.

[Ontarioguy]

Today on Canada's Sportscentre they commemorated this news by doing a top 10 of Vin Scully's greatest calls.

The top 3 were:
1. Gibsons shot in the WS.
2. The Bill Buckner
3. Blue Mondayh

They also had one clip of him talking about Canadian, Rheal Cormier, who grew up in New Brunswick. He said something like 'from all accounts he grew up on a street with no name in nothing more than a shack. In winter it wasn't uncommon to find snowflakes between the the beds'

I have no idea where Scully came up with that one. I don't know if someone was pulling his leg, if he was joking or just getting old.

Regardless, I'm very happy to see Scully will keep calling games for the next while. Hopefully I can catch a few more this season.

[crzblue]

Today on Canada's Sportscentre they commemorated this news by doing a top 10 of Vin Scully's greatest calls.

The top 3 were:
1. Gibsons shot in the WS.
2. The Bill Buckner
3. Blue Mondayh

They also had one clip of him talking about Canadian, Rheal Cormier, who grew up in New Brunswick. He said something like 'from all accounts he grew up on a street with no name in nothing more than a shack. In winter it wasn't uncommon to find snowflakes between the the beds'

I have no idea where Scully came up with that one. I don't know if someone was pulling his leg, if he was joking or just getting old.

Regardless, I'm very happy to see Scully will keep calling games for the next while. Hopefully I can catch a few more this season.

I wish I could have seen that. The only thing I saw last night was part of the conference and then on SCSR a Dodger Spring Training special.

[Chisox73]

Congrats to Vin on his new deal!

Vin is simply the best announcer/storyteller the game has ever known.

BTW Ontarioguy,I've never heard Scully's Blue Monday call.I've only heard Dave Van Horne's call.