May 2nd, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Before every major league baseball game across America, the managers from both teams meet at home plate with all of the umpires to exchange lineup cards and to go over the ground rules for each specific ballpark. When finished, the managers return to their respective dugouts for the National Anthem and play begins.
…except at Dodger Stadium.
At Dodger Stadium and only at Dodger Stadium something else happens before the first pitch is thrown, but if you’re not looking for it you will probably never even notice it. It is subtle, it is brief and it happens without any hype, hoopla or fanfare.
But if you do know to look for it and you do happen to notice it, it will put a smile on your face every time it happens – and it happens before almost every Dodgers home game and has for years. All four umpires will turn and face the Dodger Stadium press box and will either wave or tip their hat to the man who has been dubbed ‘The Voice of Baseball’ – Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully.
Umpires Brian Knight, Mark Carlson, Gerry Davis and Dan Iassogna acknowledge Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully prior to a game at Dodger Stadium. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
No other broadcaster at any other ballpark in the MLB has ever received this show of respect from the men in blue, and most likely never will.
But how did this tradition – and make no mistake about it, it is a tradition – come about? When did it begin and by whom? Who better to ask than the Hall of Fame broadcaster himself.
“It started with Bruce Froemming who used to do all the games in Vero Beach during spring training and we became friends,” Scully recalls fondly. “And one year out of the blue he was working here (at Dodger Stadium) and he and his three partners looked up and they took their hats off. So the next night they did it again and (Dodgers photographer Jon) SooHoo took a picture of them holding their hats and I have that picture at home. And then it just seemed to spread.”
Scully said that when major league umpires go on vacation or have personal matters to attend to they are replaced by minor league umpires who are not always familiar with the tradition but are quickly educated in the protocol by their veteran partners.
“Sometimes a young minor league umpire is working and is not aware. But like last night, Bill Welke must have said ‘Hey’ and so they did it. I love it. I don’t want to be taking a bow for the fans, I just like the association with the umpires,” Scully added.
Although Scully isn’t sure of the exact date that Froemming started the tradition, he believes that it was three years before Froemming retired from the field to take on the position of Special Assistant to the Vice President on Umpiring in 2008, which would put it sometime around 2005. He added that even to this day he is flattered by this kind gesture.
“I always make it a point to wave back to them,” said Scully.
“I always make it a point to wave back to them.” – Vin Scully
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Although Scully may not like taking bows for the fans, he had no choice on his bobble head night on July 25, 2013 when he received a (very) long standing ovation from a sold out Dodger Stadium crowd.
“I almost cried,” said Scully of that very emotional moment.
You are loved by all, Vin – even by the men in black.
(Re-posted from May 15, 2015)
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One of the things that make being a Dodger fan feel somewhat ~unique~.
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Respect; the measure of a person’s character seen and appreciated by others. No higher compliment IMO than to earn other’s respect. Leads me remember the following — apology for length.
paraphrase excerpt from the book “Campy – The Two Lives of Roy Campanella” written by Neil Lanctot. As the result of a car accident Campy was a quadriplegic. After 5 months of rehab his doctor’s encouraged him to accept Yankee co-owner Del Webb’s invitation to a Saturday afternoon World Series game at Yankee Stadium. Upon arrival at the stadium Campy found that his wheel chair was too wide for the narrow aisles. He had no choice but to be bodily carried by his attendant, two firemen, and a policeman. “I felt like some sad freak,” he later recalled. “It was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me, I felt ashamed.” But, fans soon began to shout out encouragement. Then, virtually every one of the 71,566 present realized that is was the three-time MVP Roy Campanella. “By some sort of mental telepathy thousands in the great three-tiered horse-shoe were on their feet and when applause moved, like wind through wheat from row to row…” wrote Bill Corum of the “Journal-American.” On the field, the top half of the 2nd inning took a backseat to the heartfelt hoopla in the stands. With the count 1-1 on the Braves’ Frank Torre, Yankee pitcher Don Larsen stepped off the mound as the players in both dugouts craned their necks to see what was causing the commotion and then began to join in the ovation themselves. Yankee catcher Yogi Berra flipped his mask, waved, and could barely resist the temptation to run over and shake Campy’s hand while umpire Tom Gorman offered a clenched fist in a keep-fighting gesture; Campanella struggled to keep his composure and later said that he could not stop thinking about the outpouring of love he experienced. RESPECT
Wow! Simply wow! A great story. Thanks for taking the time to share it with us SCB.
What a heart warming story. Thanks.
I never heard of that. Thanks for mentioning it SCB.