Remembering Vin Scully: Dodgers voice’s first game was against Phillies

The late Vin Scully’s Dodgers broadcasting career began against the Phillies.

Legendary Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully passed away Tuesday at the age of 94. His 67 seasons with the Dodgers represent the longest tenure of any broadcaster with a single team in professional sports history. Filled with many iconic moments, Scully’s Major League Baseball career behind the microphone began in a game between the then-Brooklyn Dodgers and no other than the Philadelphia Phillies.

The venue was Shibe Park in Philadelphia — an Opening Day game on April 18, 1950. Just 22 years old, Scully wound up calling a 9-1 Dodgers loss, seeing future Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts toss a complete game effort. It was the 21st complete game of Roberts’ career. He would later toss 21 complete games in the 1950 season alone, and 305 overall before his final game in 1966.

The game featured six future Hall of Famers overall — among them including the legendary Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Richie Ashburn.

The 1950 season would end up being pretty special for the Phillies. They won the National League pennant for just the second time in franchise history (1915) — coincidentally against the Dodgers. The Phillies were nicknamed the “Whiz Kids” that year because of the youth of their roster. Scully, himself, was just a “rookie” at 22 years of age.

The Phillies went on to be swept by the New York Yankees in the World Series.

Scully’s passing is difficult, and Phillies fans can relate when they lost their own legendary voice, Harry Kalas, who passed away early in the 2009 season. Generations upon generations of fans grew up listening to Scully. It became a fabric of their lives, with memories created with loved ones with Scully providing insight on the baseball action at hand.

In 2010, the American Sportscasters Association honored Scully as “the greatest sportscaster of the 20th century.” Rest in peace, Vin Scully.