Two Good Men

Sunday was a day that many people will remember for different reasons. After 67 years of announcing Dodger baseball games, Vin Sculley called his last game for the Los Angeles baseball club.

If you ever listened to a Dodger radio broadcast you were brought into the stadium and Sculley gave you nine innings of pitches and player backgrounds from both clubs.

He had that voice that made you feel good about the game of baseball. He welcomed you no matter who your team was.

As a kid I remember listening to the radio late at night lucky enough to hear and inning or two of a Dodger game.

I didn’t hear them every night but if the radio waves traveled just right I could hear the game with a bit of difficulty on the AM radio.

He started his career in Brooklyn and he caught on so to speak and was a fixture ever since. In these past few years Sculley decided to only do home games as the travel can wear a bit thin for an elderly gentleman.

I’m not sure if the game between the Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies could have played out any better. The game was tied going into the 10th inning. With two outs, Charlie Culberson hit a home run to left field clinching a fourth straight National League West title.

And Sculley said, “Wouldn’t you know it that was Culberson’s first home run of the season!”

Sculley’s knowledge of the game and stats was unbelievable. He knows history as well. There may never be a better voice to broadcast a baseball game than Vin Sculley.

I’m pretty positive there will never be an announcer that is still announcing at the age of 88 after 67 years traveling around the nation going to ballparks and watching baseball and telling the audience what was going on.

He witnessed some great athletes that played in the Major Leagues and he had the opportunity to announce some outstanding games. There will never be another Vin Sculley and I hope that you were able to listen to at least one game that he called. I know it was time well spent.

Also on Sunday the golf and sports world lost a legend in Arnold Palmer. Palmer died at the age of 87 after dealing with some health issues this year. Most people only know Palmer through his commercials on TV but Palmer was a legend on the golf course.

I wasn’t much of a golf fan until one of my older brothers talked about Palmer. I soon became a fan and always hoped he would win every tournament he played in.

But there were other golfers that were pretty good as well like Jack Nicklaus who was a pretty good golfer in his own right.

After humble beginnings, Palmer became a legend and had a large fan base. He golfed with presidents and he was always a joy to listen to. There are few people that were as respected as Arnold Palmer and he will always be remembered for being a great champion.

The sports world will be different after Sunday one because of retirement and the other by passing on. Sculley and Palmer will always be recognized for their greatness and love for their games one whose voice was smooth as silk and the other whose golf game spoke volumes.

I’m just happy to have lived in a time when these two individuals were at their very best.