NY/NJMFDIVER
Footballguy
No thread yet, so I figured I'd kick one off to remember Phil Rizzuto. I only caught his last 10 years or so broadcasting, but when the Yanks had some awful teams, there were two reasons to watch, Don Mattingly and Phil Rizzuto.
He was simply such a unique guy, and a true original who lived his life in a smiling definance of people telling him he couldn't do what he was doing, either as an undersized player or a broadcaster lacking traditional polish.
There are so many great little snapshot memories of him, I remember a particular game in Toronto where he got stuck doing the last 3 innings(there used to be 3 announcers, who would each pair off for 3inning segments, Rizzuto usually did the first six innings). Anyway, the Yanks were crap the Jays were golden then, but Nokes, who'd be recently acquired hit a 2 out, pinch hit 3 run homer in the 8th inning and the game ended up going 16 innings or so, and you could just hear Rizzuto getting more and more burned up, and rooting during BLUE JAY rallies to end the game. It was classic!
I also loved the interplay with Dulio the cameraman and I need to personally thank him for introducing this irish boy from the burbs to the wonderful world of cannoli's.
I can't say enough about the guy, we was just such a pisser on the air and his geniune warmth was unmistakable. To think of those old queens Kay or Sterling ever generating that type of emotional reaction when they pass is crazy.
Whats strange in life, in almost any respect, is if one person didn't exist, then another person would hold their place. But I think in Phil's case, he's one of the few where there never could be and never will be another like him, and we were better for having him with us. We won't forget you Scooter!
He was simply such a unique guy, and a true original who lived his life in a smiling definance of people telling him he couldn't do what he was doing, either as an undersized player or a broadcaster lacking traditional polish.
There are so many great little snapshot memories of him, I remember a particular game in Toronto where he got stuck doing the last 3 innings(there used to be 3 announcers, who would each pair off for 3inning segments, Rizzuto usually did the first six innings). Anyway, the Yanks were crap the Jays were golden then, but Nokes, who'd be recently acquired hit a 2 out, pinch hit 3 run homer in the 8th inning and the game ended up going 16 innings or so, and you could just hear Rizzuto getting more and more burned up, and rooting during BLUE JAY rallies to end the game. It was classic!
I also loved the interplay with Dulio the cameraman and I need to personally thank him for introducing this irish boy from the burbs to the wonderful world of cannoli's.
I can't say enough about the guy, we was just such a pisser on the air and his geniune warmth was unmistakable. To think of those old queens Kay or Sterling ever generating that type of emotional reaction when they pass is crazy.
Whats strange in life, in almost any respect, is if one person didn't exist, then another person would hold their place. But I think in Phil's case, he's one of the few where there never could be and never will be another like him, and we were better for having him with us. We won't forget you Scooter!
