Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
Scully and friends in 2008.
Los Angeles Times baseball writer Bill Shaikin has posted a short story reporting that Vin Scully has not yet decided about returning to the Dodgers for a 67th season. Not sure why that's news today, unless Bill knows (or senses) more than he can let on. Scully had a cold last week and asked to save his voice by just doing TV, since when he's on the radio too he talks more. There have been a couple of false starts in recent years in which Times columnists or other media reported that Scully was thinking about retiring, and then the predictable public outpouring ensued, and the Dodgers would announce that Scully is returning. Last year, I believe the Dodgers and Scully beat everyone to the punch and made an early announcement — two weeks sooner than today, btw — that he would be back.
So here's the thing.
Vin Scully is the most important constant in Los Angeles — the voice of the Dodgers the entire time they have played in Los Angeles, and the unifying voice of the city since the days when everyone burned household trash in their backyards. He has expressed before his fear of retiring — "I keep working because I don’t want to lose my friends" is the quote that still rings in my ears — and of course we hope he wants to keep coming to the stadium and talking with us.
But come on people. Vin is 87 years old. He remains the best in his business. For many of us, the best we have ever heard. Those of us who love him for everything he has meant to this city and to baseball, and to our own lives, should stand behind our lifelong friend if he wants to finally spend a summer away from a ballpark. We should embrace this for him with no questions asked and thank him for the unbelievable, never-to-be-heard-again amount of time he has given us. Right?
What Vinnie said in 2012:
Some people die twice: once when they retire, and again when they actually pass away. Fear of the first one is a big incentive for me to keep working. Players, writers, people who work at the ballpark and front office, when I quit I know I’ll never see them again. I’ve never been the type to come to the ballpark and hang out; I’ve gone to one game in the last 60 years that I wasn’t working. I keep working because I don’t want to lose my friends.
Couple of edits made after posting
Previously on LA Observed:
Vin Scully offers career advice to Zev Yaroslavsky (video)
Once again, Scully backtracks after dismay builds
Even the umpire loves Vin Scully (video)
A legendary voice deserves a voice
