When your name becomes synonymous with one of the world’s premier sports franchises, your legacy eventually transcends sport.
For Vin Scully, who for more than six decades embodied what it meant to be a Dodger, he became more than just a voice in a booth. He became a symbol for the city of Los Angeles and all who call it home.
Just like palm trees, traffic on the 405 and the Hollywood sign, Vin Scully was Los Angeles.
And as the sun sets on a groundbreaking life, members of the sports world, the Los Angeles community and those who knew him both intimately and in passing, are sharing their stories of the man who made Dodger baseball feel like a family affair, even if you aren’t a fan of the team.
Mayor Eric Garcetti called Scully, “the voice of L.A.,” writing on Twitter, “Vin Scully’s passing is the end of a chapter of our city’s history. He united us, inspired us, and showed us all what it means to serve.”
Garcetti also announced that City Hall would be lit up Wednesday in honor of the sports icon.
Another sports figure who cast a figurative shadow nearly as tall as Scully himself, Magic Johnson wrote, “Dodger Nation, today we lost a Los Angeles and Major League Baseball legend.”
“He had a voice & a way of storytelling that made you think he was only talking to you. His Hall of Fame career is to be admired. Vin was the nicest & sweetest man outside of the booth & was beloved by all of our Dodgers family,” Johnson added.
LeBron James, the man who currently holds the title as Los Angeles’ biggest sports star, wrote, “Rest in Power. A City of Angels icon. Another great one who made sports so damn special.”
Billie Jean King, a contemporary as a trailblazing sports figure who transcended the niche boundaries of her sport, highlighted Scully’s illustrious career with one franchise and said, “Rest easy, Vin Scully. You will be missed.” King is a minority owner in the Dodgers franchise and shared a photo of the two longtime friends and colleagues.
California’s Governor, while himself a San Francisco Giants fan, could not deny the impact that Scully’s life had on Los Angeles and the state as a whole.
“For literally millions of baseball fans, Vin’s voice WAS Dodger baseball. He defined his medium. He was the common denominator across so many generations. He was — and is — an absolute legend,” wrote Gavin Newsom.
Senator Alex Padilla, a Los Angeles native who holds a friendly rivalry with Newsom, said Scully “made each Dodgers game memorable with his love of baseball and unparalleled story telling,” adding that he was the greatest of all time.
L.A.’s other teams also took a moment to honor the legendary sportscaster. The Los Angeles Lakers called him “an icon to our city.” The L.A. Kings said Scully’s voice “will live on forever in our hearts.” And the USC Trojans wrote, “#FightonForever, Vin Scully. The voice of our city.”
“It’s been in Ohio as early as the mid-1850s at least, brought in as an ornamental plant because of its unique foliage and white flowers,” Gardner said. “It was actually planted in people’s landscaping, and it has been spreading.”
Finally, Major League Baseball, the sports league that made Scully famous and gave him the platform to reach each and every person lucky enough to hear him on the call on any given night, wrote:
“Vincent Edward Scully used his special talent and timeless touch to not only relay the game’s biggest moments but to evoke countless goose bumps of his own. Millions of sports fans who never met the man considered him a friend and a faithful companion.”
Vin Scully was 94. To read more about his life, click here.