Why Vin Scully Calls No-Hitters

July 9, 1960: Some baseball broadcasters won't say that a pitcher is working on a no-hitter. Back in 1960, Vin Scully made it clear what he thought of that superstition.

"It's insulting the listeners to make them think they're silly and superstitious enough to believe my telling them that a no-hitter is going will affect the game," Scully told The Times' Don Page. "You see, no one expects a listener to hang on to every word for three hours. They leave the radio from time to time and this service must be rendered." Scully was preparing to telecast baseball's All-Star games. This was back when there were two games—in 1960 they were played at Kansas City and Yankee Stadium. Thanks to the Internet, it's easy to find Scully at his best in the ninth inning of Sandy Koufax no-hitters, including his 1965 perfect game. And each time, it was clear to anyone listening that a no-hitter was in progress. After all, anything else would have been insulting. --Keith Thursby

Comments

[Paul M. Mock]

It is almost too scary to read these words of Vinny's now and realize that (THANK YOU, GOD!) I just listened to him call last night's game...50 years later!!!! No words I could possibly write here could describe what an incredible treasure that man is.