Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully's career will come to a close this weekend when Los Angeles wraps up its regular season at San Francisco. But among the many bits of trivia surrounding the 67-year Dodgers play-by-play man is that his career actually got started calling a college football game.
According to the Los Angeles Times, announcer Red Barber was in need of a late fill-in and tapped the then-21-year-old Scully to call a Maryland game against Boston University on Nov. 12, 1949 at Fenway Park. Scully arrived to Fenway only to learn that he’d be calling the game from the roof on a chilly day.
The crowd of 30,000 saw Maryland emerge with a 14-13 victory, and the Terrapins made sure to commemorate the birth of Scully’s career this week by writing him a thank-you letter.
It was an honor to be a part of @VinScullyTweet's first professional broadcast!
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) September 27, 2016
Tell the @Dodgers to keep an eye on your mailbox! pic.twitter.com/uRMRwYJocX
First-year Maryland coach DJ Durkin penned the note, writing: "Congratulations on your legendary career and the celebration of your final broadcast. We are honored to have been a part of your first!"
Durkin signs the letter on behalf of the Maryland football program, adding the final score, location and date of what would be the start of a historic career for the 88-year-old Scully.
Scully joined the Dodgers the following spring, in 1950. And the rest, as they say, is history.