He had one of the most distinctive voices in broadcasting. Vin Scully was the voice of the Brooklyn, and Los Angeles Dodgers for an amazing 67 years. Scully retired in 2016, and passed away nearly two years ago.
His voice still echoes through Dodger Stadium, and is used as part of Dodger Radio broadcasts.
"It's almost like hearing the voice of Walt Disney when you go to Disneyland," said sportswriter Tom Hoffarth. He worked alongside Scully for decades.
"He's there to guide you through it. Baseball is nostalgia, and how you remember things in your life, and Vin's voice there from the beginning for so much of us. He taught us the game," said the sportswriter "But on top of that he taught us history, and so many different lessons about life. We got so much more than we thought we were getting. He felt like he was a personal friend, talking to you."
Hoffarth is the editor, and one of the authors of a new book about the broadcasting legend.
“Perfect Eloquence: An Appreciation of Vin Scully” features essays from 67 people impacted in different ways by the sportscaster.
"Having known Vin Scully for 30 years as a professional writer covering the sports media beat, I just got to know him," said Hoffarth.
He said he knew Scully not just as a great broadcaster, and storyteller, but as a good human being.
Hoffarth said there’s a wide range of contributors to the book.
"I got Bob Costas and Al Michaels, and Peter O'Malley, the former Dodger team owner," said Hoffarth. "I reached out to Patt Morrison and Chris Erskine with the LA Times, because I wanted people who can write really nice essays."
He also connected with a number of past Dodger players, as well as some members of the community who had their own special Scully stories.
One of the contributors is Paul Vercammen, who grew up in Santa Barbara County. He’s a longtime CNN reporter who’s now Communicators Director for Shelterbox, the Santa Barbara based global non-profit organization which helps people hit by disasters.
"Vin Scully impacted so many lives in so many different ways," said Vercammen. "I believe if Vin Scully ran for mayor of Los Angeles, he would have won."
Vercammen said Scully was a master storyteller, who taught all of us to speak with grace. "When Vin Scully painted a picture with words, I felt it was so easy to see in your head, like you were looking onto a canvas," said Vercammen.
What does Hoffarth hope people get from the book?
"Vin the person, because Vin the broadcaster is someone we all seem to know," said the book author and editor.
He said with all the strife in the world, Scully is someone we can hold up as inspiration.
The book is being celebrated at a special event. It's an unusual book signing taking place Saturday in Santa Barbara. It will take place on the field before the Santa Barbara Foresters collegiate league baseball game.
The event will be at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Santa Barbara High School’s Eddie Matthews Field. It’s included with admission to the game. There will be a question and answer session about the book, plus an appearance by author Ron Shelton, who wrote the hit sports movies “Bull Durham” and “Tin Cup.”
Tecolote Book Shop will have a popup booth will copies of the book available for purchase.
