On this day in baseball history in 1939, NBC televised the first Major League baseball game using an experimental station W2XBS. Viewers were privy to a doubleheader between the Reds and Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Here's the latest news and headlines from around the National League…
- The exercise of calling up players for the month of September has changed for Pirates general manager Neal Huntington, writes Karen Price of the Tribune-Review. Instead of giving raw prospects a taste of the big leagues, Huntington will be looking to add minor leaguers who can help his team win games with an eye on the playoffs and provide manager Clint Hurdle an extra weapon off the bench. “The makeup of our club at midnight on Aug. 31 is the makeup of our club on Oct. 5, provided we take care of business and we get there,” Huntington said. “So that’s a little different, to try to put together an Oct. 5 roster on Aug. 31.”
- Mets general manager Sandy Alderson told season-ticket holders on Sunday that the Mets would love to retain R.A. Dickey on a long-term deal, writes Spencer Fordin of MLB.com. Word got back to the knuckleballer, who expressed a similar desire to call Citi Field home for years to come. "I love it here and I've always voiced that," said Dickey. "A part of me enjoys being loyal to an organization that's given me a shot. I connect well with the fan base, [the media] has always been good and I'm comfortable here. That says a lot for me and where I am in my career."
- Legendary play-by-play broadcaster Vin Scully announced on Sunday that he will return to the Dodgers for the 2013 season marking his 64th year with the franchise. The Hall of Famer will turn 85 in November but remains enthused as ever about the Dodgers given the team's new ownership group, says Stephen Borelli of USA Today. "The new ownership of the Dodgers has revitalized the city, the team, the fans and myself," Scully. "I am so convinced of their great purpose and leadership that I eagerly look forward to joining them in pursuit of the next Dodgers championship."
Scully is awesome. He’s far different from any announcer in the game, and he brings a very classic vibe to every game he calls. You can tell from the way he speaks that he’s seen it all, and I appreciate that. Glad to hear he’s coming back. Keep on bringing the magic, Vin!
The hidden in plain sight secret of Vin’s broadcasting genius is that he never forgets that he’s talking to us, the fans of baseball. Every sportscaster says they admire Vin, but it’s amazing how few of them get why he’s so admired. Instead of talking to us, most of those other guys are talking to each other, and half the time are making bad jokes, ignoring the game and ignoring the fans. Win for Vin!
I do appreciate that he is loved and admired/been around forever, kind of like Chick Hearn think his name is who called the lakers games for decades.
I, myself just cannot listen to his broadcasts any longer, or the last 20Y or so. he puts me to sleep and can’t stay interested. Voice never changes, rattles on and on and he wasn’t always like that. Maybe it’s because he is now an elder statesman and yes.. As long as the people of LA want him and he is able to come back? hope he is able to for many years to come.
Wow, I don’t know what Vin Scully you are hearing. Sounds nothing like the sportscaster we get here.
I understand Bluesky. i do try every now and then still to listen to him on mlb tv, but it’s that monologue voice rattling off that never changes. it’s not the same. I used to watch him years ago also, on the large dish and it is some different.
Just preference, cause he is not a homer at all and is talking to the fan as the story states, much like another of the older time announcers who I liked used to call games and you might have heard with one of the teams he announced for.. Gravel voiced Jim Woods, who was not a homer for any of the teams and was (to me) better on radio than on television.
Sorry still don’t get what you are talking about. I’ve been listening to Vin’s broadcasts for more than 35 years now and other than the fact that age has slowed him down some, I don’t see your point at all. You make him sound like Joe Buck or something. Now that’s Mr. Monotone. That guy should be selling insurance. When a game gets slow Vin is always ready to launch into a story that only he could tell, like the other day when he talked about Jackie Robinson in a game against the Giants in 1955 at Ebetts Field. Another day he’s telling a funny story about Red Barber. He remembers what people said almost 60 years ago and he relates it so the story is funny or has a point. I mean, hardly a game goes by when he doesn’t come up with one of those gems. And he’s still pretty quick on the puns and the literary references. Maybe somebody else can do all that from a broadcast booth, but I don’t know who.
It’s the voice change, never goes off tone bluesky. maybe am not explaining it correctly is the problem is all, but it is not the same as it was and **yes** i love announcers who go back in time and that part of Scully i do like when attempt to listen to an LAD home broadcast and catch one, much like when attempt to listen to hawk harrelson for the Chisox. It’s about the only thing can say positive about the hawk anymore.. he goes off on rants quite often now, but he goes back in time quite often and his time with the late 60’s red sox.
Woods was like that also. His “tone” or style was much like Scully’s. Kind of thought you might have heard him at least a few times, but maybe not then. he was popular with the cardinals for a few seasons and they used to be broadcast (radio) at that time by some station nearly everywhere. Later on with Boston and was on AFR fairly often (armed forces radio) games a lot.
Anyway.. was no intention to insult Scully..The guys who go back into time are always the one and Scully, being around the game for decades has that going.
You do know that Tommy Hutton is with the Fish and he came up with the LAD in the 60’s? he is one of those guys who commonly reminisces about the days past.. Always going back to the “Dodger way” and how things are done, former players..
I wish more announcers were like that, probably why Tommy Hutton is about my favorite still active announcer.
-Turns on Dodgers vs. Giants game
– listens to Vin Scully spend three batters worth of time talking about celery
– turns tv back off and calls it a night.
He was probably talking about one of the players pre-game meals – that’s how in tuned to the players on both teams he is. He’s a legend for a reason. (also wasn’t he traded for?! As an announcer?!)
Yeah, and that’s the other thing. Vin recognizes that the viewers may not know as much about the players on the other team, so he’s always got stories to tell about them too. We find out where there they grew up, where they went to school, career details, unusual habits, etc. I guess some fans deserve Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, and prefer to listen them and their kind drone on for ten minutes about why they think an umpire’s call was wrong.
Why all the Vin Scully haters? He is one of the last old school announcers and thee last of the old-OLD school guys. He calls the game solo and actually lets the game flow beautifully.
He’s not the last of the old-old school guys yet, but he will be next season. Milo Hamilton is retiring after this season.
However, Milo was never as good as Scully and should have retired a few years ago.
The only thing that bugs me these days is Vin’s broadcasting schedule. No, not that he doesn’t cover any games outside of the NLW (we all understand), but that he’s no longer doing the radio play-by-play of home games after the third inning. I remember when his voice could be heard echoing throughout the stadium during every quiet moment in the game. I still bring my radio to Dodger Stadium but usually turn it off in the fourth
funny, I’ve never heard Scully not talk about baseball for 3 batters. Amazing how he can do basically the work of 2(or 3 as we see on epsn, etc) and he doesn’t strain at all….he is the best broadcaster in the game….
Vin Scully is the Chick Hearn of Baseball….a legend!
Vin Scully is the absolute best Baseball Annoucers. Having grown up in LA, We had the great fortune of having Vin Scully for LA Dodger broadcasts, Chick Hern calling play by play for LA Lakers Basketball and Dick Enberg calling The old California Angels aka LA Angels and The LA Kings annoucer Bob Miller. We are so spoiled in LA. Vinny is the Dodgers 7th player. ESPN’s Dan Shulman is boring as well as Fox Sports Joe Buck.
The Dodgers need to win one more championship before Vin retires/passes. Come on Blue!