LOS ANGELES (CNS) — With a voice that reverberated beyond baseball, Vin Scully was being remembered Wednesday across the world of sports, one day after his death at age 94.
Los Angeles-area sports franchises all issued messages of condolence in honor of a man who will forever be remembered as the voice of the city.
“The story of Los Angeles cannot be told without the voice of Vin Scully,” the Lakers posted on the team’s Twitter account. “He will be forever missed.”
The Clippers added, “The soundtrack of the city is silent tonight. The Clippers join Angelenos and fans everywhere in mourning the loss of Vin Scully, forever in our ears and on our air.”
The Los Angeles Kings hailed Scully as “a man we will all so dearly miss and a voice that will live on forever in our hearts.”
Legendary Kings announcer Bob Miller called him “the greatest baseball announcer ever, who set the standard for all play-by-play broadcasters in any sport. Vin was a good friend and a gracious human being.”
The LAFC soccer club stated simply, “Rest in peace, Vin Scully. Our thoughts are with the Scully and Dodgers families.”
The Dodgers cross-town foes from Anaheim, the Angels, also paid tribute.
“Vin’s voice served as the perfect backdrop to some of our game’s most beloved moments. His legacy and passion for storytelling will live on the hearts of fans worldwide,” the team posted.
News of Scully’s death came in the middle of Tuesday night’s game between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. Dodger broadcaster Joe Davis, who succeeded Scully as the team’s play-by-play announcer in 2017, said during the game, “We lost the greatest ever to do it. Vin Scully was and is and always will be the Dodgers. His voice will always be the voice of baseball.”
Former Dodgers players and announcers shared their memories of Scully during the game Tuesday night. Orel Hershiser, who played on the 1988 World Series champion Dodgers team and is part of the TV broadcast team for the Dodgers, said on the Spectrum SportsNet postgame show, “I think of the melodic tones, I think of his integrity, I think of him as being a role model.”
Hershiser added that people say he was a soundtrack, but Scully’s voice was from “our highlight film of life.”
“He was not one to preach, he was not one to explain, he was one that just lived his life in front of you, as a Dodger and as a broadcaster and as an icon and as a friend,” Hershiser said. “Some fans saw him as a father, grandfather and a friend, but it was someone they never met. They just heard him and saw him on TV but he became their friend. For us that got to shake his hand and be with him, he was one of the most impactful people that you will ever meet.”
Former Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey told a local news station upon learning of Scully’s death, “It wasn’t a shock. It was almost a moment of reflection.”
“He was always very kind to me. He was your best friend, your brother, he was your father, he was your grandfather,” Garvey said.
Dodger manager Dave Roberts, in a post-game interview Tuesday night with Spectrum SportsNet, said, “He was family.”
“I’m so proud to say he was my friend,” Roberts said.
Commissioner Rob Manfred called Scully an extraordinary man whose gift for broadcasting brought joy to generations of Dodger fans.
“In addition, his voice played a memorable role in some of the greatest moments in the history of our sport. I am proud that Vin was synonymous with Baseball because he embodied the very best of our National Pastime. As great as he was as a broadcaster, he was equally great as a person,” Manfred said in a statement.
“On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Vin’s family, friends, Dodger fans and his admirers everywhere.”
Moments of silence were expected at MLB parks across the country Wednesday in memory of Scully, as teams paid respects to his impact on the game.
“There will never be another like Vin,” the Arizona Diamondbacks proclaimed on the team’s Twitter page.
The New York Yankees added, “The Yankees join the baseball community in mourning the loss of our legendary storyteller, and we celebrate the lifetime of memories he so graciously and eloquently shared with all of us.”