[bomp] Vinnie and Chick

[Brent Walker <bcwalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Date: Sat, 3 Jun 2006 10:17:24 EDT
> From: ItsBoss9@aol.com
> Subject: [bomp] Ross Porter -- bomp worthy?
> 
> C'mon Dominic, don't you know the Dead Boys only had a .217 average when
> played on left-handed turntables on Thursday during the daytime? (Ross Porter
> was 
> a former Dodgers announcer who was the anti-Vin Scully...most of his patter
> was based on reciting unbelievably minute baseball statistics in his Oklahoma
> drawl--but I miss Ross compared to the other guys they have now.)
> 
> GREAT.... thank you, Brent for clearing that up.  I didn't dislike Ross...
> but he was widely criticized for his total reliance on statistical banter.  A
> good guy, though, who understood the game for the most part.  Vinny, unlike
> Chick Hearn, had two problems outside his greatness... he'd be telling some
> amazing story from the '40s, '50s or '60s, cliff hangers... and then when he
> got 
> back from the commercial, he wouldn't finish!  Chick would NEVER forget to
> finish 
> all his amazing stories.  Second... Vinny was such a company man that even
> when the strike was GOING TO HAPPEN the very next day, Vinny would announce to
> be there tomorrow at 7:00 or whatever... as if he didn't know what everyone
> else already did!  Chick Hearn would criticize the Lakers right on the air if
> he 
> saw something he didn't like, and ended up being key to the front office that
> way and getting paid for it eventually.
> That's why, despite the corporate attitude in L.A., I'll stick with
> objectivity over going with the flow... even if some people blackball you...
> there's 
> always someone new and cool right around the corner who also has a backbone
> and 
> will be doing cooler shit anyway.
> 
> Domenic Priore


Chick was brilliant and hilarious of course, but I love Vin too though he
has a completely different philosophy than Chick. I don't agree about him
never finishing a story though...I've heard him finish many a story. My
favorite thing about Vin is his throwing in cultural references from way
back when and then explaining them. Like when the Reds had a pitcher named
Jack Armstrong, he would say "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy" and then
explain about the old radio show from the 40's. And he was probably the only
announcer to regularly used Shakespearean quotes to sum up certain
situations on the diamond.

Then there was the Dodgers "second announcer" through the late 70s, Jerry
Doggett. The Dodgers had a minor league team in San Antonio (probably still
do) and Jerry once said "So and so just came up from San Antonio," then
paused for a minute and screamed "SAN ANTONE!" My brother and I both went
"Jerry Doggett has gone completely senile." Only later did I realize that he
was doing a Bob Wills impression!

Brent Walker

===> To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe bomp" to majordomo@xnet2.com <===