Legendary broadcaster Scully set to enter whole new world
He is our national treasure, the man with the soothing voice, the calming spirit and a heart so large everyone can feel a piece of it.
He is Vin Scully, 92, the voice from God, the Hall of Fame broadcaster who might be retired now and confined to his Hidden Hills, California, home with his wife, but he belongs to all of us.
Scully, who has not left the house since being hospitalized five days in April, collapsing in his driveway and suffering broken ribs, a broken nose and a concussion that now requires a fulltime nurse, certainly has had plenty of time to reflect on the world.
He might not have the eyesight he once did, or the stamina to stay up late, but he sees the pain and hurt in America and again is here to comfort us.
“I believe with all of my heart and soul,” Scully tells USA TODAY Sports in an hour-long telephone interview, “this is the greatest country God put on earth. Being great, you have to have problems that are equally great. It’s really hard right now, but I’m just so confident that with the greatness of the country, and the greatness of people, we can take a few knocks and keep on going.
“It’s like baseball. We’ve been knocked down, but like all good hitters, we’re going to get back up, brush ourselves off, and get back to playing ball. This country is too great not to get it done.”
Scully, perhaps the most famed and influential broadcaster in sports history, has decided to share his commentary with the world. For the first time, he will venture into the social media domain with his own Twitter and Instagram accounts (@TheVinScully) and a Facebook account (Vin Scully). The social media accounts launch Wednesday, with his website (DodgersVinScully.com) to follow in October.
Scully, who has never used social media, simply got tired of having his own legendary calls, material and name pilfered on the internet. If his information was going to be disseminated publicly, he wanted to be in charge of the content. This will provide Scully his own social media platforms and website to redirect his fans to verified sites that carry his first-person voice and perspective. He now has a team looking out for his interests in the digital sphere.
“I was a fan before I was a broadcaster,” Scully said, “and I want to see and hear and engage with people.”
Yes, although he has never been tempted to dance into the Twitter verse, he is quite aware of its vitriol and negativity for the public to consume.
“I will not use Twitter for any controversy in any shape or form,” he says. “I’ll be very, very careful what goes out. It’s too volatile of a world. I don’t want anyone mistaking what I originally meant. I won’t get into any arguments, but if I feel necessary to chime in, I’ll do it.”
Scully’s social media sites will repurpose many of his legendary calls, from Hank Aaron’s 715th home run to Don Larsen’s perfect game to Kirk Gibson’s World Series walk-off. There will be pictures, quotes and commemorative moments.
“It’s a great way for Vin to reconnect to his fans,” said White Sox executive and insurance magnate Dennis Gilbert, who helped set up the project with a New York-based production company. “It will be virtual Vin Scully museum.”
Anyone want to take a guess how quickly Scully reaches 1 million followers?