It was as if he never left.
Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully returned to Dodger Stadium on Wednesday afternoon and sat down with reporters for about twenty minutes, weaving stories with ad-libs in classic Scully fashion.
"'ll give it my serious consideration, but first I'll have to work on the infield fly rule," joked Scully, when asked what he would do with North Korea if he were President of the United States.
Scully wasn't here to talk politics, although he admitted he watches more of it now that he's retired, the legendary broadcaster was back at Chavez Ravine to become the 11th inductee into the Dodgers Ring of Honor, located above the loge section in left field.
"I'm looking forward to it," Scully said of joining the other Dodgers' legends. "But in all honesty, I hope it's brief."
Scully will get his wish as the pregame ceremony will only last about 10 minutes as his plaque, bearing a microphone emblem, joins the likes of Pee Wee Reese, Tommy Lasorda, Duke Snider, Walter Alston, Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufax, Jackie Robinson, and Don Drysdale.
In his press conference, Scully had a story about each and every one of his fellow members of the ring of honor, whether it was Pee Wee Reese's wife cooking for all the Dodger players, Walter Alston delivering a speech on a bus, or Tommy Lasorda trying to pitch batting practice to 700 players for a measly $50, Scully had an aside for everyone.
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"It's very emotional, even though I don't show it," said Scully of joining those careers that he called. "I don't see those numbers. When I look at those numbers, I see faces, I hear voices. I see those numbers move. I look at 39, and I don't see 39, I see Roy Campanella. I see outside the kitchen in Vero Beach, I used to literally sit at his feet and Campy would tell stories. I can do that with every number up there. For me to be with Pee Wee Reese, and Duke Snider, and Roy Campanella, and all of the other great players, there's a sense of looking back. That was my graduating class. Those were the ones who started me on my career."
Scully's career spanned 67 seasons before he retired from broadcasting last year. He admitted shortly after Opening Day that his retirement hadn't quite hit him until the season started, but now that a month has gone by, he knows he made the right decision, and is at peace in his life.
"I miss it the way you or I would miss fellows you or I hung out with in college," said Scully. "Life has called us to eventually drift apart. I did it for 67 years, so it's pretty hard to just turn away. However, every minute I look at Sandy in the house, I know it's the right time and I'm in the right place in my life."
Scully expected to be reading more books in retirement, but said that Sandy and their grandkids have kept him busy. His favorite part is not having to prepare to call games, instead enjoying afternoons in his backyard.
"I like sitting in the backyard sipping on something cold at around 5 o'clock, instead of being here, going over my ad libs."
Scully confessed he has not watched any games on television this season, but is instead keeping up with the team through the newspaper articles the morning after.
In his comments to the media, he spoke specifically about the rise of Cody Bellinger, Logan Forsythe's injury, and the hot start to the season for Yasiel Puig.
Fans are asked to arrive early on Wednesday for the ceremony and video tributes that are expected to start at 6:00PM PST. The first 40,000 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative Vin Scully microphone, but as for Vin returning to the mic himself, he has had no thoughts of that.
#VIN🎙
The first 40,000 fans in attendance tonight receive a microphone statue presented by Mercedes-Benz Dealers of Southern California. pic.twitter.com/YUoUDbh1QI— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 4, 2017
"It's been easier than I thought because I'm totally and completely at peace, it's a remarkable feeling," he said on how hard it's been to leave the booth. "I am completely at peace. I'm at the right spot in my life at the right time."
Through it all, Scully was as stoic and charming as ever. When asked if he planned to see the musical "Hamilton," now that it's coming to L.A., he smiled and said.
"I really don't like that kind of music. If I can't hum it, I don't want to see it."
There's been rumors and rumblings that the Dodgers will soon erect a statue for Scully outside Dodger Stadium to join Jackie Robinson, but if you ask Vin, he would prefer that Wednesday is his last time in the spotlight at Dodger Stadium.
"I can't think of another award I could get, unless it's cleanliness," joked Scully. "This is the last time, in my mind, that I'll be in the spotlight. I'll plan to be here sometimes, but no one will know. Sandy and I will come in and then leave and that will be that. This is the last hurrah, the last time I'm on the field."
"I've spent so many thousands of yesterdays but you get to an age where you say, 'How many tomorrows do I have left?'" he said.
"If somebody said to you, 'You only have 123 tomorrows as of today,' the first thing you would say is, 'Whoa, they're precious,' I want to be with the most precious part of my life," finished Scully. "And that's where I am. However many tomorrows I have, I'm spending my todays exactly the way I want."
I think I speak for Dodger fans across the globe when I say, we hope you have a lot more tomorrows, Vin.
Vin Scully addresses the #Dodgers media before his Ring of Honor Ceremony at Dodger Stadium.
Full | https://t.co/ftbSlV7OIJ pic.twitter.com/TsjFEx4pfD— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) May 3, 2017
