Vin Scully and old school gambling
In the wake of Vin Scully's passing, I'd like to share a quick story about the gambling he grew up around in the bleachers of the Polo Grounds
Yesterday the world lost its most iconic baseball broadcaster. Vin Scully passed away at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy that will never be matched. He was the voice of baseball and a masterful storyteller.
In true Vin Scully fashion, his passing inspired people to tell their own stories: stories of listening to him on the radio or watching historic moments while he serenaded them with his soothing voice.
One story I found particularly interesting (and relevant to this newsletter) was Vin’s own telling of his experience at the Polo Grounds as a child. In 1965 Vin Scully penned a guest column for the Los Angeles Times, masterfully telling stories of baseball as only he could. One of those stories was about the gambling, illegal at the time, he witnessed in the bleachers when he was just a boy. Below is an excerpt from the article:
New York — I could smell the cigaret smoke in the old Polo Grounds. I was 10 and in the bleachers and I first realized that I could see the bat hit the ball before I could hear it.
There were gamblers in the bleachers and they always sat near the sign that prohibited gambling and they would bet long range with the people in the upper deck. They had a tennis ball with a hole in it and they would holler a bet, stuff money into the ball and toss it back and forth. I remember thinking how terribly exciting it all was and once a gambler overshot his mark and I made a good catch and returned the ball and they thanked me and told me what a fine catch it was and I was very proud.
I find old school gambling stories fascinating. It’s so simple, but so interesting considering the ease with which people can gamble nowadays. This was the original live betting: yelling up to the bookie (or person on the other side of the wager), stuffing money in a tennis ball, and tossing it back and forth.
Vin’s words paint a vivid picture, capturing the sights, sounds, and smells of the Polo Grounds in the 1930s. He makes it feel like you were there in the bleachers with him. Among this ruckus a 10-year-old boy fell in love with the game of baseball.
He even mentions the “no betting” sign that was present in so many parks during that time, which undoubtedly made it even more thrilling for him.
You can imagine the sensory overload 10-year-old Vin Scully was experiencing that day in the bleachers, culminating in a catch that was praised by the gamblers. What they didn’t know was that the little boy they lauded for his slick hands would grow up to be the most legendary baseball announcer of all time.
Rest in Peace, Vin Scully. You will be dearly, dearly missed.