After 67 years broadcasting for the Dodgers — dating back to the franchise’s Brooklyn origin — Vin Scully will walk away from the mic for the final time this weekend.
It’s fitting Los Angeles will visit the San Francisco Giants for the occasion, given both teams called New York City home during Scully’s first season.
Much has transpired and changed since Scully, born in the Bronx and raised in Washington Heights, began calling Dodgers games at the old Ebbets Field in Flatbush, including the team’s move to L.A. for the 1958 season.
In observance of the end to one of baseball’s longest, most distinguished careers, here are some fun facts about what’s been happening since Scully’s Dodgers debut in 1950.
- That season, the Atlanta Braves were playing in Boston, the Oakland Athletics were in Philadelphia, the Minnesota Twins were still the Washington Senators and the St. Louis Browns had yet to become the Baltimore Orioles.
- Alaska and Hawaii became the nation’s 49th and 50th states, respectively.
- Thirty Hall of Famers were born after Scully’s first year. The list includes Goose Gossage, Gary Carter and Dave Winfield.
- Twelve men have served as president of the United States, starting with Harry S. Truman. President Barack Obama had not yet been born.
- Only two current major league managers, the Mets’ Terry Collins and the Nationals’ Dusty Baker, were alive at the time. Each turned 1 that year.
- A gallon of gas in New York has gone up from 18 cents to $2.31.
- Fourteen major league teams did not exist that season, including three out of five current NL East clubs.
- The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Guggenheim Museum, Headquarters of the United Nations and original World Trade Center had not yet been built.
- The Yankees topped the Philadelphia Phillies that season for their 13th World Series crown. They since have won 14 more.
- The Cleveland Browns, currently 0-3 and yet to appear in a Super Bowl, were the NFL’s best team at the time.
- Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays were still prospects for the Yankees and New York Giants, respectively.
- The population of the U.S. has more than doubled, from 151 million to 318 million.
