Baseball Hall of Famer Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto Dies at Age 89

Baseball Hall of Famer Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto passed quietly into the night on Monday August 14, 2007, at an assisted-living facility in West Orange, New Jersey. He had been in ill health and his frail body could not fight the pneumonia he had contracted.

He was born in 1917 in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Queens, New York. He tried out with both the Giants and Dodgers baseball teams, but at five foot six inches and 160 pounds, his critics said he was too small to play professional baseball. Boy did he prove them wrong!

He wore the Yankee pinstripes from 1941 to 1956 (his career was interrupted by a three year stint in the navy during World War Two). During his time with the Yankees he was a five time all star, the 1950 Most Valuable Player, and played on seven winning World Series teams, and inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

One year after leaving the Yankees as a player he became a broadcaster, first on radio, then on television, for the Yankees. A job which lasted for forty years. His catch phrases "holy cow" and "huckleberry" became well known to Yankee fans.

In 1994 after ex-rival Ted Williams petitioned the Veterans Committee, Rizzuto was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Williams said, "The difference between the Yankees winning all those pennants in the '40s and '50s instead of the Red Sox was Rizzuto."

The speech Rizzuto gave at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony was certainly on of the most remembered speeches. It was off-the-cuff and covered numerous subjects, including the first time he ever had grits. Rizzuto said, "I didn't know what to do with them so I put them in my pocket."

On Tuesday August 14, 2007 the Yankees remembered Rizzuto before their game with Baltimore. The Yankee tribute to the former player and broadcaster included flying the flag at half-staff, spray painting his number 10 on the field, and wearing the number 10 on the sleeve of their uniforms. A sign hanging from the stands read "A tough Yankee loss."

Phil Rizzuto is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Cora, three daughters, one son, and two grandchildren.

Perhaps Yankee owner George Steinbrenner summed it up best by saying, "I guess heaven must have needed a shortstop...He epitomized the Yankee spirit. gritting and hard charging and he wore the pinstripes proudly. No one deserved his place in the Hall of Fame more than number 10.

We tip our baseball caps to you Mr. Rizzuto, rest in peace, you will be sorely missed.