Devoted baseball fans regard Vin Scully among the greatest, if not the greatest baseball broadcaster of all time. He was the voice of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers for 67 years. Kevin O’Malley wants the world to know that Scully’s Catholic faith had everything to do with his popularity and success.
“He was the nicest man I’ve ever met,” said O’Malley, who is a contributor in a new book about Scully titled, “Perfect Eloquence — An Appreciation of Vin Scully.”
“He lived out his Catholic faith in his everyday life with his never-ending gratitude, humility, generosity and kindness.”
O’Malley is the Major League Baseball ministry coordinator for the Alexandria-based Catholic Athletes for Christ and is responsible for organizing Sunday Mass for players, coaches, broadcasters, trainers and front office personnel. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge is a long-standing member of CAC’s episcopal board, which includes 16 cardinals and bishops.
O’Malley, who dreamed of becoming a major league broadcaster growing up, met his childhood hero in 2014 at a Mass in Los Angeles. “Vin was a pillar at Catholic Mass on Sunday mornings at Dodger Stadium and always read the first reading,” O’Malley wrote in “Perfect Eloquence.” “There is nothing quite like Vin Scully reading from the Old Testament of the Bible.”
It was old-fashioned virtues that endeared Scully to so many admirers. In contrast to today’s shock journalism and loud personalities, O’Malley said Scully never criticized umpires or used profanity, and always wore a coat and tie in the broadcast booth.
“I would see when the microphones and the cameras were off, in the way he treated people,” said O’Malley, a parishioner of St. Veronica Church in Chantilly. “He treated the gentleman who was the security guard at the Dodgers press box the same way he would treat a Hollywood superstar.”
Scully, who retired in 2016, was nearing the end of his legendary career when O’Malley asked him if he would consider recording a rosary CD to help CAC raise funds.
“He told me it was the most humbling thing he had ever been asked to do. Scully asked a priest, ‘Is this blasphemous,’ ” said O’Malley. “And we said ‘Vin, you don’t know how many people are going to come back to the Mother’s prayer because of you.’ ” It was one of the top selling Catholic CDs in 2016-17.
Scully modeled his faith quietly, with his cheerful, exuberant spirit, according to O’Malley, who remained friends with him until his death in 2022 at 94. “He was always careful to not go over the top in bringing up faith issues on the air, but he would bring it up in subtle ways,” said O’Malley. He recalled Scully’s discussion during a broadcast about Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier being injured and listed as “day to day.” “Then he added quietly, ‘Aren’t we all?’ ”
Scully knew tragedy. He suffered the unexpected death of his first wife in 1972 and his oldest son in 1993, who died in a helicopter crash. O’Malley said the Hall of Fame broadcaster continued to live graciously and his faith sustained him. “It meant everything to him,” he said. “He constantly talked about it. He was an incredibly private man, but publicly talked about his Catholic faith helping him through many difficult times. He lived his life in an amazing Catholic way.”
O’Malley meets with many famous athletes in his work but rates his friendship with Scully as the greatest of blessings. With the publication of “Perfect Eloquence,” O’Malley has made a lasting contribution by illuminating Scully’s faith.
“My relationship with Vin is something I will always cherish,” he said. “I’m trying to live my life better based on the Vin Scully I knew.”
