Phil Rizzuto passed away at the age of 89 late Monday night. He died in his sleep at a nursing home in West Orange, New Jersey where he had been staying the past several years due to declining health.
A member of the New York Yankee family for 66 years, Rizzuto became a fan favorite. Most fans from my generation remember him best as the very friendly Yankee announcer for 40 years on WPIX.

There, the Scooter’s flambuoyant personality shined most. No matter who he was teamed up with in the booth, the interesting commentary, anecdotes, birthday wishes and cannoli pastry references were all part of why we enjoyed watching him.

Whether the Yankees were winning or losing, Rizzuto always made it more fun to put the game on. Even if he did sneak out of The Stadium early to beat traffic across the George Washington Bridge, it was just Scooter being Scooter.

Of course, one expression the loveable broadcaster borrowed from all-time great Chicago Cubs play-by-play man Harry Caray was, “Holy cow!”

The catch phrase can be heard when Rizzuto called Roger Maris’ record-breaking 61st home run on the final day of the 1961 season where he beamed, “Holy cow! He did it,” as Maris rounded the bases.

After being forced into retirement after the 1956 season, he went behind the microphone starting in 1957 which began a successful run of 40 years calling Yankee games. Along the way, he got to work with great commentators such as Mel Allen, Red Barber, Joe Garagiola, Frank Messer, Bill White, Tony Kubek and Bobby Murcer, etc.

While his broadcasting career might be what many today remember him for, it’s worth noting that the Scooter was much more than that during his playing days. He had to overcome the odds just to make it to the majors after a failed tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers in which his smallish 5-6, 160 frame worked against the hometown native.

However, it didn’t stop Rizzuto from fulfilling his dream when he had a successful tryout with the Yankees who signed him as an amateur in 1937.

At age 23, he debuted in 1941 and got into 133 games hitting over .300 (307) with three homers, 46 RBI’s, 20 doubles, nine triples and 14 stolen bases as part of another Yankee world championship, beating the Dodgers in five games.

After the first of five All-Star selections in 1942 helping the Yanks get back to another Series before falling to the St. Louis Browns, Rizzuto like many had his playing career interrupted by World War II. From 1943-45, he served under the United States Navy playing on the baseball team before resuming his career in 1946 at the age of 28.

The shortstop played 11 more years helping the Bronx Bombers win six more World Series including a record five straight from 1949-53. During his 13-year career, the team won nine pennants and went on to win seven world titles.

His career peaked in 1950 when he posted career bests in games played (155), average (.324), hits (200), runs (125), home runs (7), doubles (36) and extra base hits (50) while batting leadoff. He also swiped 12 bases, walked a career high 92 times posting a career best .418 on-base percentage along with a .439 slugging percentage.

Along with near flawless play at short in which he paced all shortstops with a .982 fielding percentage, it led to him winning the AL MVP as the Yanks went on to repeat as world champions by sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies. He beat out buddy and teammate Yogi Berra, who took the award in 1951.
Rizzuto would play all the way until age 38 when he was forced to retire by management in 1956 to make room for Enos Slaughter who the team has acquired for the postseason roster. It was a heartbreaking end to a great career.

While a few cynics might argue that his career numbers aren’t Hall of Fame worthy, it’s worth pointing out that all-time great Ted Williams always thought one of the differences aside from pitching between the Yankees and his Red Sox teams was the short guy who played short for the Pinstripes. It speaks volumes to what kind of intangible value Rizzuto possessed which helped his team win.

Rizzuto was a very good bunter and led the AL in sacrifice hits from four years running (1949-52). That was always something that was valued along with his strong defense up the middle.

He had his No.10 retired by the Yanks on August, 4, 1985. Ironically on the same day, the Scooter would be upstaged by future broadcast partner Tom Seaver, who won his 300th career game for the White Sox. Of course, he would tease Seaver when they later worked together about it.

Despite being well regarded by his peers which included the Splendid Splinter, Rizzuto didn’t make Cooperstown until the Veteran’s Committee along with a lengthy campaign by Yankee fans helped finally get him in in 1994. Ten years after similar in stature Pee Wee Reese at his position made it starring for the Dodgers.

As usual, he would steal the show at his induction ceremony by making a long speech rambling on from topic to topic even prompting former partner White to get up and answer, “Grits” to Rizzuto’s question about the “stuff that looked like oatmeal,” to the delight of many.

He also would later swat away some flies and maybe even kill a couple in the process on what was a very humid day.

Rizzuto would work a couple of more years up in the booth and get the chance to call another future great Yankee shortstop who was a rookie by the name of Derek Jeter in 1996. During a game against the Indians, he praised a very nice play by Jeter who caught a tough pop up facing the outfield. Rizzuto also had the honor of calling the rookie’s first home run in the Yankee win.

Among some of his other famous calls was Chris Chambliss’ 1976 pennant clinching home run, Dave Righetti’s no-hitter against the Red Sox on Independence Day in 1983 and The Pine Tar game when George Brett raced out of the Kansas City dugout and protested wildly after a home run in the ninth was reversed.

Rizzuto also took part in Meat Loaf’s 1977 hit song “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” with some classic play-by-play commentary during it which only helped its success even if he didn’t realize what the real meaning was.

The past couple of years had been a struggle for him health-wise. When he didn’t show for last year’s Old-Timer’s Day, the writing was on the wall that time could finally be short for baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer.

He had been suffering lately. Now Scooter is in an even better place. But even with him no longer with us, there will still be Scooter the Holy Cow- the Staten Island Yankees team mascot named for him at the ballpark at St. George.

Plus many Yankee and baseball fans will always remember him.

Holy Cow will never leave our households.