Vin Scully, on the Number 42

August 24, 1948: Gene Hermanski, Pee Wee Reese, Marv Rackley and Jackie Robinson.

Vin Scully, from last Friday's game:

Told a story last year. It's only worthwhile on Jackie Robinson Day.

At the time, it was a very funny crack made in a Dodger clubhouse in Cincinnati.

Ball one.

Jackie had received some serious threats against his life, so that when the Dodgers came to Cincinnati, the old Crosley Field, they had riflemen on the rooftops and on the roof of the big laundry building back in left field. It was serious.

And before the game, the Dodgers held a meeting in the clubhouse. And everybody, understandably, was tense. This was really serious.

And they had an outfielder named Gene Hermanski, who suddenly broke the silence by saying, "I've got it!"

And everybody stopped and said, "What?"

And Hermanski said, "We'll confuse them. We'll all wear number 42!"

Well, everybody broke up and it released the tension and they went out and played.

But little did we know there would be a day where indeed, like Gene Hermanski, we'll all wear number 42.

photo: Bettmann/CORBIS