Baseball world mourns loss of Vin Scully

The baseball world mourned the loss of a true legend in the sport. Vin Scully, the Hall of Fame voice of the Dodgers for 67 years, died Tuesday evening. He was 94.

“Today, we mourn the loss of a legend in our game," Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "Vin was 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.

“On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Vin’s family, friends, Dodger fans and his admirers everywhere.”

“We have lost an icon,” said Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten in the team's announcement. “The Dodgers' Vin Scully was one of the greatest voices in all of sports. He was a giant of a man, not only as a broadcaster, but as a humanitarian. He loved people. He loved life. He loved baseball and the Dodgers. And he loved his family. His voice will always be heard and etched in all of our minds forever. I know he was looking forward to joining the love of his life, Sandi. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this very difficult time. Vin will be truly missed.”

Baseball Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch said Scully was a childhood hero of his. The legendary Dodgers announcer won the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford Frick Award in 1982.

In a statement, Jane Forbes Clark, chairman, Baseball Hall of Fame, said:

“Vin Scully’s voice connected generations of fans over an incomparable 67 years behind the microphone and is synonymous with our national pastime. The Museum was honored to present him with the 1982 Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence. On behalf of our Hall of Fame members and all of us in Cooperstown, our heartfelt thoughts are with his family, friends and the millions of fans around the world who loved him and were devoted to his broadcasts.”

Dozens of players, coaches and managers — current and former — expressed their condolences and thanked Scully for the work he has done to grow the game.

Angels interim manager Phil Nevin, who grew up in Placentia, Calif. as a Dodgers fan, told reporters:

"I just heard about Vin Scully. I grew up listening to him as a kid. In his last year, I got to go into the press box and take a picture with him. It was one of my favorite baseball moments. And as a player, I was three years into my career and we're playing the Dodgers. I hit a home run early in the game and I went out in the tunnel, and they always pipe in the the games through the intercom there. I heard Vin Scully say my name so after three years in the big leagues I felt like that was like wow, I've actually I'm in the big leagues. Just that first time I heard Vin Scully say my name, I won’t forgot it and I wanted to pass along my best to the Dodger organization, and his family.

"I went to sleep every night, my curfew was whatever and I would go to sleep listening to Vin Scully and my parents let me listen to the radio to Dodger games before I went to bed. I honestly learned baseball and how to keep score listening to him. And so yeah, that's it. It's a tough day."

MLB.com's Bryan Hoch spoke with Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo:

“What a great baseball broadcaster," Rizzo said. "Amazing for the game. I did get a chance to meet him; I played against the Dodgers a lot. I loved just hearing him talk. It was just so soothing. The way he would tell stories about a game and paint pictures was something else. He will definitely be missed.”

After their game against the Dodgers on Tuesday, Giants manager Gabe Kapler told MLB.com's Sonja Chen: "No matter where you grew up … I think people around here in the Bay Area and across the country can appreciate what Vin Scully meant to the game. Just as importantly, I think he made one of the most impactful broadcasting marks on the industry ever. We lost a great one."

Current Giants pitcher and former Dodger Alex Wood said: "It's a big loss for baseball, and I was lucky enough to get to know Vin for two years when I was in L.A. before he retired. I don't think there's ever been anybody like him and [there] probably won't be anyone like him ever again. He was a poet. He just had a way with words, and it didn't really matter what he said, everybody just loved it and wanted to listen to it. His voice could just keep you locked into a game. … He was a storyteller, is what he was to me more than anything. Really, really sad news, and a big loss for baseball, having him pass away — but what a life."

Former A's pitcher and current A's TV broadcaster Dallas Braden told MLB.com's Martin Gallegos: "Baseball is better for having Vin Scully as part of its history. One of the fondest memories I will take to my grave is knowing I pitched in a ball game that Vin Scully called. It might be small but it’s a big deal to me. Baseball will miss you, Mr. Scully. We will do our best."

A's manager Mark Kotsay added: “A lot of memories. I grew up with Vin Scully. I think part of the reason I love baseball is because of Vin Scully. I grew up here in L.A. a Dodger fan. It’s a sad day. I’m sure we’ll honor his legacy forever.”

When asked for his best Vin Scully story, Rockies manager Bud Black said:

"I don't know whether I have a best [story]. It's just a collection. The thing that stood out to me was when I came over to the National League, when I came to the Giants, that was well before interleague play. So I was 10 years in the American League and I came to the Giants.

"I didn't know Vin. I finally met him. I was in my thirties. I'd already had 10 years. But I was nervous when I met him. But my people -- my family, my friends, who watched broadcasts of Giants-Dodgers games -- they told me he was very complimentary of me. We met just briefly. But he was a fan of baseball. He followed me, followed baseball players.

"I just remember my friends and family saying, 'Vinnie was nice to you on the broadcast.' I thought that was sort of nice."

Marlins manager Don Mattingly, who spent five years as the Dodgers skipper from 2011-15, spoke of Scully's artistry in the booth:

"I look at Vin almost like an artist at not only what he did, but like the way he painted the game and he sculpted your view of watching a game or hearing a game. I didn't get many chances. I missed a few games out there, but I got to listen. You just look at the artistry of what he did, and then what he meant to that fan base and how tied to that organization [he was]. Obviously, a huge loss. We're all going to miss Vin, but the L.A. community that's tied in with him so much is going to feel that."

Kirk Gibson, who was a huge part of perhaps Scully's most famous call, shared his grief.

Rangers manager Chris Woodward told MLB.com's Kennedi Landry: “Growing up in L.A., he was the voice I always heard. Back when I played my first big league game against the Dodgers, we were playing them in Toronto. The next day, I was watching my at-bats from that game. The sound was on, and normally the sound isn't on, but I put it on and I heard Vin Scully, talking about me being a hometown guy from California. It meant the world to me. It was a really goosebump moment for me just hearing him say my name.

“It was a dream come true for me and getting a chance to meet him obviously when I worked for the Dodgers and getting to witness that last game he called and Charlie Culberson was the one that walked off that game to win the division. So it’s just a lot of cool memories. The guy was as class act as it gets. So it's obviously a sad day, but obviously we should celebrate him because he's a legend.”

Charlie Culberson, who played for the Dodgers for two season, said: “Getting a chance to play for the Dodgers was special and then having a chance to have him call my name out a few times. It was pretty cool. He talked to you like you were best friends, like he knew you forever. He cared, he cared about everybody. I mean, 94 years old, that's like a pretty good life. I’m just fortunate to be able to have some type of relationship with Vin for those couple years."

Culberson on his walk-off during Vin Scully’s last game at Dodger Stadium: “I got lucky in that moment, the walk-off homer to clinch the division. And then afterwards, we're all celebrating and we all just turn our attention to Vin and his wife Sandra. It was a pretty cool moment. … People will talk about Vin forever.”

Following the game at Oracle Park on Tuesday, the Giants honored Scully, the voice of their long-time rival.

Other Major League Baseball teams took the time to mourn the loss of Scully as well.

Scully, who called Dodgers games for nearly seven decades, was looked up to by many current and former baseball broadcasters.

Dodgers play-by-play man Joe Davis, who stepped into the shoes of the iconic Dodgers announcer in 2017, said, "We lost the greatest ever to do it," during Tuesday night's broadcast of the Dodgers-Giants game.

Former player and Dodgers broadcaster Rick Monday also took time during the game to honor Scully.

Longtime Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker said: “We lost one of the all-time greats, both as a broadcaster and as a person who had a huge heart. I knew him for more than 60 years and we shared so many great times together. I always apologized to Vinny for having to call games I played in and I will always treasure the video he sent me for my 50th year broadcasting with the Brewers. We have missed him since he retired a few years back, and I’m glad we were friends. We had a lot of laughs and everyone in the game is going to miss him.”

Michael Kay, the Yankees' play-by-play announcer and fellow Fordham University graduate, said every game of Scully's was a "masters class."

Even those outside of baseball chimed in to express their sorrows.

Several Los Angeles icons reflected on Scully.

"Rest in power," Lebron James said on Twitter.