Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Vin's Ice Skating with Jackie Robinson Story

Vin Scully, during tonight's broadcast:

We were talking earlier about people getting the cycle. Jackie hit for the cycle. 1948, game one of a doubleheader.

Oh and one the count....One ball, one strike.

I mentioned the story at the beginning of the game about everybody wearing 42. I can tell it once a year.

I actually raced Jackie Robinson on ice skates—I think I tell that once a year—but it is a little offbeat.

One and one the count to Fred Lewis....Fouled back.

We were assigned by the Dodgers to go up to the Catskill Mountains and have a little symposium, whatever, for the customers up there, and it was dead of winter, and I brought my ice skates.

And Jackie, along with Rachel—who was great with child—we met up in the mountains.

Two and two.

And Jackie looked at my ice skates and said, "I'll go skating with you." Okay. And Rachel said, "I'm going too." Well, I was scared to death for her.

So we went to the rink. I put on my skates. They were great racing skates with the long blade.

And strike three call, strikeout number seven.

Well anyway, we were putting on our skates. And if you've never been on ice skates, when you put them on and you stand up, all of a sudden you're on your ankles because you have no idea how to balance on the blades.

And here's Jackie standing on his ankles and he turned and said to me, "I'll bet you five bucks I can beat you."

And I said, "Jack, you're from Southern California. I mean, I didn't know you ice skated."

He said, "I've never been on skates in my life," and I said, "Well, that's pretty obvious."

But I said, "Why would you want to race me? I'm not a great skater but I know I can beat you."

"Oh," he said. "That's okay."

And then that look came over his face.

And he said, "That's how I'll learn."

His competitive drive was so great.

Yeah I won, sure, but I mean he was walking on the ice on his ankles. One of the great athletes of all time.

One and one the count to Molina....

photo from WFUV.org

5 comments:

Unknown said...

The way Vinny incorporates the game is priceless. I had the radio playing Vinny during his tribute to Adenhart here in Boston and my co workers were in awe of his tribute to him.

Julie Hibbard said...

My evenings start when Vinnie says, "It's time for Dodgers Baseball"
...and I never go to bed til he says, "Good night everybody!"

Ahh, and in between...his stories, his memories, his laughter, his UNDYING love and appreciation and passion for the game...

Oh, what in the world will we EVER do without him...

alsodanlowe said...

I follow three games a day while feigning productivity at home: the Red Sox, the Marlins and he Dodgers.

I like that the Dodgers will always be the last game to play -- it's my dessert.

PenosCabell said...

Vinny can talk about anything, and I'll listen. I'm glad we've got someone around to tell us about things they did with Jackie Robinson, even ice skating. As Dodger fans, we're lucky to have Vinny.

friendly bob said...

Hey, the book is out --Vin Scully--I found it at Ralphs