Phil Rizzuto Has Died at 89

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Brooklyn-born Phil Rizzuto has died, according to the New York Yankees. He was 89.

Nicknamed "The Scooter," Rizzuto, at the time of his death, was the oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 1994 by a Veterans Committee vote.

...and of course this is particularly relevant given his work in the music field, specifically, if nowhere else, in Meat Loaf's "Paradise By The Dashboard Light".

RIP "Scooter"

Scooter with a platinum award from Meat Loaf for his contribution to Bat Out of Hell.

I was a bit too young to see Rizutto play, but he was a constant presence in the Yankee broadcast booth throughout the 70s and 80s. Almost like a member of the family. He didn't make it to Old Timers' Day this year, which I thought was a bad sign.

Recommended reading: O Holy Cow!, edited by Tom Peyer and Hart Seely. Actual transcripts of Rizzuto's on-air ramblings, edited to read like poetry. Amazon has copies for as little as 9 cents.

http://www.amazon.com/Holy-Cow-Selected-Verse-Rizzuto/dp/0880013257

"Hey White
You know where your loyalties are?

Right here.
The old pinstripes.

No.

You never wore them.
So you have a right to sing the blues."

Phil Rizzuto was a profound link to my youth but he will forever be tied to memories of my father who died in late June. True to the cliche, baseball was a shared enthusiasm between me and my father. It seemed like there were a thousand radio broadcasts with "Little Phil" (as my father called him, with a great deal of affection) while we did yardwork together, sat at the local pool together or just hung on the porch. Like music is the background for so many of our memories, Phil and the Yankees is the background music for me and my dad.


I never saw him play but he must have been exciting to watch. But I don't know if that's what his real legacy is.

Phil was so much fun to listen to. Great stories, even if they went nowhere. Everything about him was fun, even his fear of lightning. He gave enormous pleasure to the people who heard him. That's a lot.

RIP, Scooter. I grew up a Mets fan and the Yankees were "the enemy", but you'd have to be deaf not to love Scooter's style on the mic. The man was a legend.

(Let me also move Bob's comments here from a duplicate thread ...)

Growing up in NJ and seeing the Yankees on WPIX (Channell 11) Phil, Messer and White were the best. Phil Rizzutto was so down to earth and such a Yankee fan, no pretending there.

Thanks for all the memories and the joy you brought to my childhood.

Rick A.

Although I'm not a Yankee fan, Phil Rizzuto's broadcasts were a blast to watch and listen to. He always reminded me of a big kid (and I definitely mean that as a complement).

One of my fondest Scooter memories occurred when he was present on the field at Yankee Stadium to receive an honorary award (I forgot what the exact event was). He was standing next to a cow (yes, a cow!). At one point, something frightened the cow and it seemed to jump without warning - knocking Rizzuto to the ground. Unhurt but embarrassed, Rizzuto was helped back to his feet, and he was laughing hysterically.

The moment was perfect.

We'll miss you, Scooter.

RIP.

Here are some other Philisms:

RIZZUTO: (As camera fixes on woman in stands): What a nice-looking young lady. She reminds me of that old song, "A Pretty Girl is Like a Memory".

BILL WHITE: Scooter, I think thats "Melody".

RIZZUTO: How do you know her name is Melody?"

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"And that ball is outa here. No, its not. Yes, it is. No, its not. What happended?"

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"Oh deep to left center, nobody's gonna get that one....Holy Cow, somebody got it".

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"A high fly, and while its in the air, Happy Birthday to Daphne Lapizana. She turns 18 today".

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"Okay, here we go, we got a real pressure cooker going here, two down, nobody on, no score, bottom of the ninth......"

Another Philsim:

At the start of one of their broadcasts, Rizzuto was standing with partner Bill White, when he announced: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I'm Bill White with . . . "