Vin Scully’s understated calls were a huge part of Bay Area sports history

Several obituaries for Vin Scully, the legendary broadcaster who died at 94 on Tuesday, have pointed out that Scully was the king of silence. “Vin Scully Knew When The Best Words Were No Words” were the words of Bay Area bard Ray Ratto. Canadian baseball writer Ben Nicholson found a 2014 quote from Scully making a rare boast: “That really is my trademark,” Scully said. “Day to day, week in, week out. If something happens and the crowd roars, I shut up.”

Many have pointed out that there will never be another Scully on this front. Three-man booths and over-caffeinated announcers mean no massive sports moment will be truly able to breathe again. That’s true to a certain extent, but Scully’s gift for silence wasn’t just humility; it was an extraordinary combination of skill and gravitas. Scully’s respect for the moment is Joe Buck’s failure to meet it. 

As it happens, Scully’s well-earned reputation for well-timed silence was partly built on two of the most famous moments in Bay Area sports history. Scully is best remembered as the Dodgers announcer, but he also called the most famous play in 49ers history as part of his career in the football booth. 

“Montana looking, looking, throwing in the end zone. CLARK CAUGHT IT. Dwight Clark!”

The 49ers’ official team account shared a video of The Catch that edited out the silence, but Scully actually waited 30 full seconds before his famous followup: “It’s a madhouse at Candlestick, with 51 seconds left. Dwight Clark is 6-4, but he stands about 10 feet tall in this crowd’s estimation.”

The best-known call of Scully’s career, however, was unquestionably the most infamous play in A’s history. After a standard play-by-play of Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series — “High fly ball into right field…she is…GONE” — Scully then was completely silent for a full minute. 

Then: “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.” Then he was silent for another 30 seconds.