Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Phil Rizzuto, RIP

For those who get their sports news from SoSG alone, I regret to inform you that legendary broadcaster and Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto has passed away. From the Village Voice:

He'll be remembered as pesky shortstop who played on seven World Champion teams, but for many New Yorkers of a certain age, Rizzuto will always be the voice of the Yankees on Channel 11.

I'm not a Yankee fan but I always loved Rizzuto, especially in his later years when he seemed like someone's crazy uncle who had somehow got into the Yankees broadcast booth. "Oooh, loved those cannolies," crazy Zio Phil would say, oblivious to the fact that bases were loaded in the top of the eighth in a tie ballgame. "Thanks to Barbara from Brooklyn for those. Oooh."

Before I learned of his various contributions to baseball (and heard his indelible backing vocals on Paradise by the Dashboard Lights), I only knew Phil Rizzuto from THIS!

3 comments:

Pedro Guerrero said...

Sadly, this is how I know Phil Rizzuto from Seinfeld Season 8, Episode #150 "The Pothole" episode. A keychain given to George and all Yankees employees in honor of Phil Rizzuto being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Says "Holy Cow" when squeezed. George loses Phil Rizzuto's head while trying to jump over a pothole that is later paved over. George must do the work himself AND pay the maintanence crew $50 to retrieve it.

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Not sad at all. To be part of Seinfeld lore is a gift.

Orel said...

Just ask Keith Hernandez and Paul O'Neill.