SAN FRANCISCO — At the conclusion of Tuesday night’s game at Oracle Park, the San Francisco Giants informed the crowd that Vin Scully had died, offering a brief tribute to the legendary broadcaster on the stadium scoreboard.
It was one last Dodgers-Giants game for Scully to close out.
“You know – he was the Dodgers,” Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said. “Growing up in Southern California, it didn’t matter where you were if you heard that voice on the radio or on the TV, you knew the Dodgers were on. I think there are a lot of heavy hearts in here tonight hearing that news – but also very appreciative and grateful that I had the opportunity to come over here and play in this organization and get to know him. And get to consider him a friend.
“It’s a tough night.”
During his 67 seasons as the Dodgers’ broadcaster, Scully called 18 no-hitters. One of the last was Clayton Kershaw’s in 2014.
“He was the best that ever was,” Kershaw said of Scully. “Just when you think about the Dodgers, there’s a lot of history here and there are a lot of people that have come through. It’s just a storied franchise all the way around. But it almost starts with Vin, honestly.
“Just as far as the history of our organization, Vin has been through it all. Just such a special man. … Just a tremendous life and legacy that he led and thankful I got to know him.”
For players who grew up in Southern California like Turner and Austin Barnes, Scully had already made an impression on them before they reached the big leagues.
“I grew up watching him, listening to Vin,” said Barnes, who grew up in Riverside. “The way he called games, it made you feel at home, like he was in your living room. … He’s kind of like my childhood, growing up, listening to him call baseball games, just the way he talked about baseball.
“I think he did my debut, I think my first hit. That’s something I’ll always remember. I got to meet him, talk to him a few times too, just tell him how important he was to me, and how special he was to my childhood and my family, really. I mean, we all grew up listening to Dodger baseball, and listening to games he called. … Almost part of our family.”
Turner recalled meeting Scully for the first time as a visiting player with the New York Mets.
“I was with the Mets in town playing the Dodgers and he came down into the visiting clubhouse to say hi,” Turner said. “He told me he was a fellow redhead and us redheads have to stick together.
“I thought it was crazy that Vin Scully walked into the clubhouse to find me and say hi to me. That’s something I definitely will never forget.”
Yasiel Puig was among the former Dodgers who took to social media to voice his appreciation Tuesday night as the news of Scully’s passing spread.
“You gave me my Wild Horse name. You gave me love. You hugged me like a father. I will never forget you, my heart is broken. My hand over your family’s hearts. Los Angeles, I am sorry I am not there with you today to cry together,” Puig wrote on Twitter.
Scully retired following the 2016 season. That final year was filled with pilgrimages by visiting players, coaches and umpires who made their way up to the press box to pose for photos with Scully and thank him for all the memories.
It was a sign of the impact he had on the game.
“He lived obviously a tremendous life. He impacted so many, myself included,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think there’s an endless amount of people that consider him family, a part of their families. This is a guy that was not only the voice of Dodgers baseball but baseball in general. He was in so many homes. It’s a legacy of longevity. It’s class. … He was a gentleman. That’s something we all should strive to be. He lived a fantastic, fulfilled life.
“What a legacy.”
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