[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 147 (Wednesday, September 28, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6243-S6244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 52--HONORING VINCENT EDWARD ``VIN'' 
 SCULLY, THE UNITED STATES BASEBALL BROADCASTER WHO HAS MAGNIFICENTLY 
 SERVED AS THE PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER FOR THE BROOKLYN AND LOS ANGELES 
        DODGERS FOR 67 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASONS SINCE 1950

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                            S. Con. Res. 52

       Whereas Vincent Edward ``Vin'' Scully was born in the 
     Bronx, New York, on November 29, 1927;
       Whereas Vin Scully was raised in the Washington Heights 
     neighborhood of Manhattan, New York;
       Whereas when Vin Scully was 8 years old he decided he 
     wanted to become a sports announcer;
       Whereas in 1950, at the age of 22, Vin Scully joined the 
     radio and television broadcast team for the Brooklyn Dodgers;
       Whereas in 1953, at the age of 25, Vin Scully became the 
     youngest individual to announce the broadcast of a World 
     Series game;
       Whereas Vin Scully announced Brooklyn Dodgers' games 
     through 1957, after which he moved with the Dodgers to Los 
     Angeles as the first team in Major League Baseball to play in 
     Southern California;
       Whereas Vin Scully is credited with teaching the game of 
     baseball to Los Angeles;
       Whereas since 1950, Vin Scully has announced more than 
     9,000 Major League Baseball games and almost \1/2\ of all Los 
     Angeles Dodgers games ever played;
       Whereas Vin Scully has announced numerous iconic moments in 
     baseball history, including--
       (1) on September 9, 1965, Vin Scully announced Los Angeles 
     Dodgers' pitcher Sandy Koufax's perfect game against the 
     Chicago Cubs, concluding, ``Sandy Koufax, whose name will 
     always remind you of strikeouts, did it with a flourish. He 
     struck out the last 6 consecutive batters. So when he wrote 
     his name in capital letters in the record book, that `K' 
     stands out more than the `oufax'.'';
       (2) on April 8, 1974, Vin Scully called the 715th homerun 
     by Hank Aaron to break Babe Ruth's longstanding homerun 
     record, stating, ``What a marvelous moment for baseball, what 
     a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the State of Georgia, what 
     a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A black man 
     is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking 
     a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great 
     moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron.''; 
     and
       (3) on October 15, 1988, during Game 1 of the 1988 World 
     Series at Dodger Stadium, Vin Scully announced a game-
     winning, pinch hit homerun by injured Los Angeles Dodger Kirk 
     Gibson against Oakland Athletics' reliever Dennis Eckersley, 
     declaring, ``High fly ball into right field. She is gone . . 
     . In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has 
     happened.'';

       Whereas Vin Scully has described the exploits of some of 
     baseball's all-time greats, including Jackie Robinson, Roy 
     Campanella, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Duke Snider, Don 
     Sutton, Fernando Valenzuela, Tommy Lasorda, Orel Hershiser, 
     Mike Piazza, and Clayton Kershaw, among many others;
       Whereas Vin Scully has been nicknamed ``The Shakespeare of 
     Baseball'', ``The Voice of the Dodgers'', and ``The Voice of 
     Summer'';
       Whereas Vin Scully has been awarded the honors of--
       (1) National Sportscaster of the Year from the National 
     Sports Media Association in 1965, 1978, and 1982;
       (2) Ford Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of 
     Fame in 1982;
       (3) induction into the National Sports Media Association 
     Hall of Fame in 1991;
       (4) induction into the American Sportscasters Association 
     Hall of Fame in 1992;
       (5) Life Achievement Emmy Award for Sportscasting in 1995;
       (6) induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1995;
       (7) Sportscaster of the Century from the American 
     Sportscasters Association in 2000;
       (8) induction into the California Sports Hall of Fame in 
     2008;
       (9) induction into the National Association of Broadcasters 
     Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2009;
       (10) Ambassador Award of Excellence from the Los Angeles 
     Sports & Entertainment Commission in 2009;
       (11) Top Sportscaster of All-Time from the American 
     Sportscasters Association in 2009;
       (12) Baseball Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award in 
     2014; and
       (13) 32-time California Sportscaster of the Year;
       Whereas, on September 23, 2016, during a pregame ceremony 
     at Dodgers Stadium to honor Vin Scully for his iconic life 
     and contributions, he was likened to Norman Rockwell and film 
     character George Bailey; and
       Whereas Vin Scully will announce his final game on October 
     2, 2016, when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the San Francisco 
     Giants: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) honors the life and legendary career of Vincent Edward 
     ``Vin'' Scully, whose character, artistry, and storytelling 
     as an announcer for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers has 
     set the standard for sports announcing; and
       (2) wishes Vin Scully a fulfilling retirement as he bids 
     farewell to the broadcast booth following the 2016 Major 
     League Baseball season.

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to submit a concurrent 
resolution to honor the great Vin Scully--a magnificent baseball 
announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the past 67 Major League 
Baseball seasons.
  Days ago, Scully announced his final game at Dodger Stadium.
  It was a game won by the Dodgers on a walk-off homerun, in dramatic 
fashion, to clinch the division.
  It was a fitting end to Scully's storied career calling baseball 
games in Los Angeles. When the homerun was hit, he exclaimed, ``Would 
you believe a homerun? And the Dodgers have clinched the division, and 
will celebrate on schedule.''
  Seconds later, in true Scully-form, he remained silent, letting the 
roar of Dodgers fans take over the microphone.
  Scully's storytelling over the microphone has captured the 
imagination of not just those who have grown up in Southern California, 
but all over America.
  In fact, so many Americans recall watching Game 1 of the 1988 World 
Series when Kirk Gibson famously hit a walk-off homerun against Dennis 
Eckersley.
  After Scully called the homerun shot, he paused to proclaim, ``In a 
year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.''
  The call was a harbinger of things to come, because the Dodgers went 
on to win the series against a heavily favored Oakland Athletics team.
  Scully first fell in love with baseball and broadcasting as an 8 year 
old boy growing up in New York in 1936.
  He recounted this beginning in a deeply personal letter he wrote to 
fans recently, stating, ``God has been very generous to that little 
boy, allowing him to fulfill a dream of becoming a broadcaster and to 
live it for 67 years . . . You were simply always there for me. I have 
always felt that I needed you more than you needed me and that holds 
true this very day.''
  We too are immensely fortunate to have witnessed Scully's life-long 
devotion to the game of baseball.
  Scully has announced more than 9,000 Major League Baseball games, and 
almost half of all of the Dodger games ever played.
  He is credited with teaching the game of baseball to Los Angeles.
  He vividly brought to life the feats of all-time Dodgers greats such 
as Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Duke 
Snider, Don Sutton, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, Tommy Lasorda, 
Mike Piazza, and Clayton Kershaw.
  This is why his voice evokes so many memories for so many people.
  But even beyond his artistic accomplishments, Vin Scully is about as 
fine a person as you will meet. Those who know him closely remark of 
his character and humility. They speak of his desire simply to be a 
decent man, a good husband, father, and grandfather.
  This humility and grace was reflected in his broadcast style. He was 
never one to rush, and did all he could to enhance the game he loved. 
Often times, he let the roar of the crowd speak for itself.

[[Page S6244]]

  I want to thank Senator Boxer for cosponsoring the resolution to 
honor Scully, as he takes his final curtain call from the broadcast 
booth next week.
  I also want to express my thanks to House Democratic Caucus Chairman 
Xavier Becerra for leading the House effort on this resolution.

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