Growing up in the 1980’s in New Jersey, the Yankees on WPIX were about the only baseball on TV I could get on a regular basis. Back then the Mets were on SportsChannel (an extra $20/month), there was one national game per week on Saturday on one of the big 3 networks (unlike today with ESPN), and there was no Internet.

Even though I have always been a die hard Red Sox fan, I grew up with Phil “the Scooter” Rizzuto and Bill White as the voices that taught me baseball. They were both on great teams and were winners as players, and they were the perfect contrast in the booth. White (or “Whitey” as Scooter would call him) was pretty much the straight laced guy, and Scooter was pretty much all over the place – but extremely entertaining.

I was watching to Mike Greenberg yesterday as he described what Rizzuto meant to him, although they never met. He grew up in the Bronx with two Yankees crazed parents during their big run in the 1970’s.  He described Rizzuto as his “Crazy Uncle Phil” because Scooter would jump from topic to topic and not always be completely focused on the game. So when Scooter would start talking about some random god-knows-what tangent that had nothing to do with the game that day, he’d brush it off as it’s just Uncle Phil being spontaneous and fun. So when Greenberg heard of Scooter’s passing, he felt he had lost a dear friend (similar to his feeling when Harry Carry passed).

I immediately realized I felt the same way, even though I almost always rooted against Rizzuto’s Yanks. No one was more biased for his team while announcing games than Scooter (and I am including the Tommy Heinsohn who does Celtics games), but I was OK with it. He was just so loved and I really don’t think we’ll ever see another guy impact so many people as a commentator for one team (with the explosion of cable, satellite, and all sports channels changing the landscape). I was always entertained when he’d talk about his favorite NY/NJ restaurants or wishing fans Happy Birthday, and White would try to real him back in.

I wish the stiffs today (like Tim McCarver) would realize that there is a certain amount of entertainment value needed during a broadcast – and this is what Scooter brought better than anyone. But what made him so great is that it was 100% genuine and never contrived. Unfortunately my Sox have Jerry “Remdog” Remy, and he is just annoying and bland. I know he tries to talk about local Boston stuff, but he is just boring and his insight leaves much to be desired – I am usually excited to hear the opposing team’s announcers on road trips.

My favorite guy today is Jon Miller who did Orioles and now ESPN games. He is really well spoken, knows the game well enough, knows how to entertain without making it seem fake, and can carry another over opinionated stiff like Joe Morgan.

Back to the Scooter, he was the first guy I wrote to asking for an autograph. He sent me a business card sign “To Jay, Holy Cow, Phil Rizzuto”. It is this that got me hooked on the hobby and I still have it framed and matted today. After that I went out and bought Jack Smalling’s baseball address book, and the rest is history. So if it wasn’t for him, I may not have become interested in collecting autographs and may not have built this site.

I remember the one time I got to meet him in the late 1980’s. A local baseball card store was moving (in Eatontown, NJ), and they brought him in to promote the opening. He was signing 1 free autograph per person who spent $5, so that day I was lucky enough to have him sign a baseball for me. He was cracking jokes and it was amazing just how much everyone loved him – children and parents alike.

About 3 years ago I sent him a letter talking about how much I enjoyed his broadcasting, and relayed some stories I remembered with him and White. He wrote me a nice note back telling me how much he enjoyed that time.

I won a lot of 1951 Topps cards on eBay about a year ago with Bob Feller, Monte Irvin, and Phil Rizzuto. Unfortunately, soon after Scooter became ill and I didn’t get a chance to send it to him - I since have gotten Feller and Irvin to sign those cards. As I looked at it this morning sitting in a pile of non-signed cards, I decided this unsigned card is one I will hold on to in my collection.

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