SAUNDERS: Scully still blessing for Dodgers fans

Published July 30, 2007 at midnight

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Vin Scully was in town over the weekend, providing a refreshing dialogue away from the court-and-crime news that dominates pro sports.

He talked baseball.

As he has done for 50 years, Scully, who will be 80 in November, provided play-by-play for the Dodgers fans in the Los Angeles area.

And before the Dodgers moved westward, a young Scully was in the broadcast booth at Ebbets Field.

Scully's 57 years with the Dodgers is the longest tenure with a single club in pro sports history.

Rockies broadcaster Jack Corrigan provided two taped interviews with Scully before the games Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday, Scully provided baseball nostalgia with personal insight on Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr.

Scully, focused on Gwynn for many seasons during the Padres-Dodgers rivalry, recalled many anecdotes on the Padres outfielder.

Turning to Ripken, Scully made a sensible comment that the 2,632 consecutive games played with the Orioles could have hindered Ripken's performance a bit.

"He might have put up even better on-the-field numbers if he had rested occasionally," Scully said, also noting the same could be said of Lou Gehrig (2,130) until Ripken broke the ironman record.

Most fans are keenly aware of Scully's performance and awards for radio and television. It should be noted Scully occasionally has been accused of being too much of a "homer." In 1978, he ignored a nasty altercation between teammates Steve Garvey and Don Sutton - a situation that made big headlines in the Los Angeles Times the next day. But overall, Scully continues to be viewed as the ultimate professional.

I would have enjoyed his take on the 9-6 nail-biter between the Dodgers and Rockies. Scully's career in Los Angeles has predictably produced at least two showbiz references. Can you name them?

Answers below.

LOCAL PROFESSIONAL: It is far too early to compare the success of KOA-AM's Jeff Kingery to the lengthy career of Scully. And the difference in team popularity and market size will probably prevent any future accurate comparison.

However, Kingery, the Rockies' major voice since Opening Day 1993, is excellent mixing overall baseball knowledge with what is going on on the field.

And yes, he is a "homer" in the professional sense of the term.

Kingery also has become adept in providing, in nonirritating style, those increasing and sometimes annoying quick commercial spots. How soon before we hear: "That foul ball was brought to you by our chicken and turkey products."

ROSE'S VIEW: What is baseball's worse evil - gambling or steroids?

It is no surprise Pete Rose would point to the latter.

In a Spotlight special on FSN Rocky Mountain (8:30 p.m. Saturday) Rose tells Tom Helmer, "I don't think what I did (betting on baseball) was worse than taking steroids. If I am a baseball player making $20 million a year, I am not going to rub anything on my body or put anything in my body.

"I believe there are a couple of things baseball wished would happen tomorrow. One of them is that something would happen to me and I'd be gone. And the other is something would happen to Barry Bonds and he would be gone.

"They (baseball leaders) would not have to challenge such controversy."

TALK, TALK, TALK: A coincidence that Denver's new sports radio station premieres today, the second day of Broncos training camp? Definitely not, according to Kevin Medina, CEO of Mile High Sports.

"We know how Denver sports fans feel about their Broncos," said Medina, an executive on Mile High Sports Radio (KCKK-1510 AM).

The full-time sports station features Tim Neverett as the weekday morning host (7 a.m.) and Mark Knudson in the afternoon.

Hosts on the Sporting News Radio Network, including Tony Bruno, will work the other time periods. Medina said his company is "in negotiations" with other sports talk personalities.

Also in discussions are play-by-play rights for college football and basketball.

Mile High Sports, publisher of the seven-year-old magazine, also has a presence on Altitude (Comcast Ch. 5).

Medina believes this three-prong sports platform will attract the advertisers needed to create a full-time sports network.

SCULLY ANSWERS: Gillian Anderson's character in The X Files, Fox's dramatic hit of the 1990s, was named Dana Scully, because Chris Carter, the series creator, was a big Vin Scully fan.

On The Simpsons, Harry Shearer's voice as a baseball announcer has mimicked Scully on baseball episodes covering the Springfield Isotopes.

IN REMEMBRANCE: Bill Flemming, a longtime ABC sports announcer who covered college football, golf, boxing and the Olympics, died recently of prostate cancer. He was 80.

Dusty Saunders writes periodically about sports broadcasting. Contact him at tvtime@comcast.net

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