Vin Scully: L.A.'s Collective Memories of a Magical Voice
August 2, 2022 was a dark day in Los Angeles history, when Vin Scully, a legend in the field and a fixture in many Angeleno lives, passed away. In an effort to celebrate his life and his contribution to our personal histories, we unearthed a few stories you had shared with us in preparation for our special, "Dodger Stories: 6 Decades in L.A." Here are few precious moments you shared with us.
Vin Scully and Vanilla Ice Cream
I grew up in Corona, California in the '50s and '60s, with 4 kids in the family. Saturdays were dedicated to housework for my sister and me, and yard work from my two brothers. As the day progressed and we finished our chores, my father put KFI on the radio, which blared out of several speakers around the house and yard, and the hand crank ice cream freezer came out. My father crushed blocks of ice inside burlap sacks to fill the wooden tub, and my mother prepared the cream and sugar. Each of us had a job: my sister and I sat on the freezer to keep it jumping around and my brothers took turns turning the crank. After a tiring day of house and yard cleaning, being outside on a warm evening listening to Vin announce the game and eating the home made vanilla ice cream is my very fond memory of the Dodgers. - Karen Parker
Vin Scully En Español
I remember Vin Scully speaking in Spanish and being the first American sportscaster to interview Fernando Valenzuela when he first appeared at Dodger Stadium. Vin Scully was beloved by many L.A. Latinos! - Tom Sanchez
A Private Space by the Bay Window
When I was eight, several things happened at once: Vin Scully began announcing the Dodger games, my dad began listening to Dodger games on the radio (not TV then), and I would lie on the rug in front of the big mono speaker and happily listen too — besides playing baseball in the vacant lots in my neighborhood with the neighbor kids. That was the way it was then. We had one of those giant (like 4 ½- foot tall) speakers with a triangular back so it fit into the corner of the room. There in the corner of the living room behind the armchairs was sort of my private space, there in front of the bay window. - Kay Martin
A Birthday Present in the Front Row
When the Dodgers came to Los Angeles, my father and I discovered a common interest in baseball. We sat high at the Coliseum, listened to Vin Scully on my transistor radio and cheered for Sandy Koufax when he saved a game. When Dodger Stadium opened, my birthday present was a front row seat. I have pleasant memories of Saturday night double headers. - Cora Jean Smith Castagnaro
One Last Month
On August 28, 2016, I had the opportunity to have Mass with some of Dodgers players and Coaches before the game against the Cubs. I looked to the right of me and Vin Scully was sitting next to me and he read the first verse. It was the best moment that had the biggest impact on my life. At the time, Vin had another month to go before he was going to retire. To make it better, I had the opportunity to take a picture with him and my dad. What a wonderful day it was.
My Mother, the Dodgers Fan
I've been a Dodger fan since I was like 10 years old. I used to listen to the games on my transistor radio. Vin Sully would describe the game in such a wonderful way. You could close your eyes and it would be like you were there! While I was living with my parents in Los Alamitos, I was rushing to get home to watch the Dodger game. I am like speeding. When I run in, what do I see? My mother already watching the game! Wow! I didn't know she even liked baseball. So I sit down and start to watch the game. My favorite player Fernando Valenzuela was pitching. I don't remember my mother ever watching baseball, except when I played in Little League. Before I could talk, she turns to me and said "Isn't Fernando cute?" I just say, "Yeah, I guess." From then on, if the Dodgers were on, we would watch together. It was wonderful! She LOVED the Dodgers! There were many happy memories of her and me watching the Dodgers. She even went to the parade in Downtown Los Angeles when they won the World Series in 1988. She passed away in 1999. I still smile when I think of the times I had with her watching the Dodgers.
Vin Scully's Last Night at the Stadium
When I was young, life was a bit chaotic, but the one place that was home was Dodger Stadium, but mostly Vin Scully. Vin Scully's last night at Dodger Stadium marked the moment I became very aware of my age. And, it made that awareness bittersweet. We do get older, but isn't it amazing to have had that voice, for all these years? It brought me back to my childhood and, became the metaphor for my life in Los Angeles. I still miss that voice and I always will. I found myself talking to people I had not talked to in years, and it was easy because we all had a collective memory of that magical voice. Vin Scully's last night gave me a timeline for my life, in my family and in this city. Vin Scully's voice, made those year golden, even if some of them were difficult.
