Vin Scully's final game will be at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 2.
Despite some light pressure from Fox executives and popular demand among baseball fans, Scully is choosing to end his legendary broadcasting career on his terms. He won't call Dodgers playoff games on TV. He won't call Dodgers playoff games on the radio. And that's totally fine - he's certainly earned the right to retire when he wants.
Scully confirmed that Oct. 2's game against the Giants will be the last of his 67-year career, which ends up being a fitting opponent for his finale.
He said via the Los Angeles Times:
"As a little kid, my first thought was, 'Oh, those poor Giants.' From that little kernel, I developed a desire and a love for baseball. Since the Giants were 20 city blocks from my school and I could get there thanks to the Catholic Youth Organization and the Police Athletic League, I could go to games free, Monday through Friday. So I became a very big Giants fan. As things turn out, the last game of the season, and my last broadcast, will be against the Giants, in San Francisco, Oct. 2, 2016 - exactly 80 years to the day that I saw that Giant-Yankee scorecard."That is a fitting conclusion, I think, to my career."
Scully previously declined an invitation to work the MLB All-Star Game with Fox. The network wanted to discuss Scully working the Dodgers playoff games, but at the time, it expected Scully to turn down that offer as well. And he has.
Scully hasn't worked Dodgers road games (other than the occasional Giants and Padres game) for years. The postseason presents a far more stringent schedule and environment. By not working the postseason, Scully can say goodbye at Dodger Stadium in a much-deserved ceremony that will be all about his fantastic career.
Enjoy retirement, Vin.
