Steve and the Tank! - Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto, R.I.P.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Mr. Steinbrenner was correct in saying that Heaven needed a shortstop, Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto, who passed earlier today. Scooter was a great player and broadcaster. His playing days preceded my birth but I knew that he never let anyone, including the great Casey Stengel stand in his way. Stengel told him that he should shine shoes but he went to win seven World Series and an AL MVP amongst other awards. He may have been short at 5-foot-6 but his heart was bigger than them all. That's what determination can do.

Scooter's broadcasting days shaped my youth. I listened to his radio broadcasts on WCDO in Walton, New York. His trademark "Holy cow!" became a staple in more ways than one as I grew up on a dairy farm. That was the beginning of my comedy career. :-)

I can close my eyes, listen to the memorized tape of his radio broadcasts in my head, and let the game unfold in the "Theatre of the Mind". That was Scooter's gift to me and millions of other kids. He will be missed. Godspeed Scooter!

Photo courtesy of the Yankees.com. Posted by a mourning Tank in NY.

Editorial | Farewell | MLB | Yankees Analysis (MLB)

Tuesday, August 14, 2007 2:40:52 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1] |

Friday, August 17, 2007 7:58:43 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Growing up in metro NY but not being a big fan of baseball, I (and hopefully other blog readers) will remember his television commerecials for "The Money Store," mostly him standing up there with paper greenbacks floating around (or something like that) offering loans.

Phil was a cool guy, I remember a story about him. His manager had to cut a player, he brought Phil in. Manager asks "Phil, here is our roster, who would you cut if you were me." Phil said "cut me." That speaks great volumes about a person involved in a sport where ego was/is king. He may have been one of the last "team players."

Billn in VT | billn_6AT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

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