Dan is a writer living in Shanghai, China.
August 15 07
RIP: Phil Rizzuto
Woke up to the sad news that The Scooter had died. I grew up listening to Phil Rizzuto call Yankees games on WPIX Channel 11. It was his lovable persona and rambling stories (they often extended over multiple innings) that made being a Yankees fan bearable during the lean 1980s years. Rizzuto had a wonderful repartee with booth mates like Tom Seaver and Bill White (that huckleberry), and every time I catch a game on ESPN Asia with this subpar crew I am reminded of how great those broadcasting teams were.
Rizzuto's head (in the form of a keychain) and his catch-phrase "Holy cow!" made a guest appearance in a Seinfeld episode, and The Scooter was an under appreciated pitchman, as well, as witnessed in this Money Store commercial and the wonderful video clip below:
I think I had a pair of those shorts.
You will be missed, Phil.
Also see
Phil Rizzuto: Through the years [Newsday]
O Holy Cow! : The Selected Verse of Phil Rizzuto [brothersjudd.com]