Phil Rizzuto
Shortstop
Born: September 25, 1917
Died: August 13, 2007 (aged 89)
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 14, 1941 for the New York Yankees
Final game
August 16, 1956 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
Batting average	.273
Hits	1588
Runs Scored	877
Teams
New York Yankees (1941-1942, 1946-1956)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (AL): 1942, 1950-1953 American League Most Valuable Player: 1950 Babe Ruth Award: 1951 1949-1952: Led AL in sacrifice hits 1949-1950: Led AL shortstops in fielding 1950: Led the league in singles (150)
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Elected	1994
Election Method	Veterans Committee

Philip Francis Rizzuto (September 25, 1917 – August 13, 2007), nicknamed "The Scooter", was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who spent his entire career from 1941 to 1956 with the New York Yankees. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1941 throughout the world. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... September 30 Chicago White Sox pitcher Jim Derrington becomes the youngest pitcher in modern history to start a game. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... In Major League Baseball history, Ty Cobb had a record 4,191 hits (later revised to 4,189) by 1928; Pete Rose would surpass it 57 years later, and finish with 4,256 career hits. ... Bengie Molina of the Anaheim Angels (in gray and red) scores a run by touching home plate after rounding all the bases. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... The following are the baseball events of the year 1941 throughout the world. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1942 throughout the world. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1946 throughout the world. ... September 30 Chicago White Sox pitcher Jim Derrington becomes the youngest pitcher in modern history to start a game. ... The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the respective managers (from the previous years World... In the game of baseball, both amateur and professional, it is tradition to annually recognize the one player in the league who has contributed the most to the success of the players team. ... The Babe Ruth Award was an annual award given to the Major League Baseball player with the best performance in the World Series, similar to the World Series MVP Award. ... In baseball, a sacrifice hit (also called a sacrifice bunt) is the act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base, while the batter is himself put out. ... In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player handles a batted ball properly. ... In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by striking the ball and getting to first before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put... Baseball Hall of Fame redirects here. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Baseball Hall of Fame redirects here. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The following are the events of the year 1994 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... MLB and Major Leagues redirect here. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as...

He was named the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1950 after leading the team to its second consecutive pennant with a .324 batting average; he had been MVP runnerup the previous year. Rizzuto led the AL in double plays three times and in putouts and fielding percentage twice each. His 1,217 career double plays ranked second in major league history when he retired, trailing only Luke Appling's total of 1,424, and his .968 career fielding average trailed only Lou Boudreau's mark of .973 among AL shortstops. He also ranked fifth in AL history in games at shortstop (1,647), eighth in putouts (3,219) and total chances (8,148), and ninth in assists (4,666). A popular figure on a team dynasty which captured 10 AL titles in his 13 seasons, Rizzuto played in nine World Series, winning seven. He holds World Series records for most career games, putouts, assists and double plays as a shortstop. The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... In the game of baseball, both amateur and professional, it is tradition to annually recognize the one player in the league who has contributed the most to the success of the players team. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1950 throughout the world. ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... After stepping on second base, the fielder throws to first to complete a double play In baseball, a double play (denoted on statistics sheets by DP) for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. ... In baseball statistics, a putout (denoted by PO or fly-ball when appropriate) is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods: tagging a runner with the ball touching a base that a runner on a force play is trying to reach catching... In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player handles a batted ball properly. ... Lucius Benjamin Appling (April 2, 1907 - January 3, 1991) was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Chicago White Sox (1930-1950). ... Louis Boudreau (July 17, 1917 - August 10, 2001) was a Major League Baseball player and the American League MVP Award winner in 1948. ... In baseball statistics, total chances (denoted by TC) represents the number of plays that a defensive player participated in. ... In baseball, an assist (denoted by A) is a defensive statistic, baseball being the rare sport in which the defensive team controls the ball. ...

Rizzuto later enjoyed a 40-year career as a radio and television sports announcer for the Yankees, becoming known for his popular but idiosyncratic style. He was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994, having been selected by a Veterans Committee vote. The broadcasting of sports events is the coverage of sports on television, radio and other broadcasting mediums. ... A sportscaster is an announcer on radio or television who specializes in reporting or commenting on sports events. ... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 62 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... The Veterans Committee, officially the Committee on Baseball Veterans, is a committee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame that provides a second chance for Hall of Fame election to players passed over in regular Hall of Fame balloting. ...

Early years

Rizzuto was born on September 25, 1917 in Brooklyn, the son of a streetcar motorman. There has been confusion about his year of birth, stemming from Rizzuto's "shaving a year off" the date at the beginning of his pro career, on the advice of teammates. Throughout his career, his birth year was reported as 1918 in both The Sporting News Baseball Register and the American League Red Book; later reference sources revised the year to 1917, indicating his age at the time of his death to be 89. After Rizzuto's death, the New York Post broke a story reporting Rizzuto's actual birth date as being in 1916.^[1] A few days later, Murray Chass of The New York Times independently confirmed this version, recounting an incident where Rizzuto gave his birthdate as 1916.^[2] However, Chass' article also reported that the New York City Department of Health said Rizzuto's birth certificate is dated 1917.^[2] New York Daily News writer Bill Madden's book, "Pride of October," includes an interview with Rizzuto, and cites the 1916 date. is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... This article is about the borough of New York City. ... a historic postcard showing electric trolley-powered streetcars in Richmond, Virginia, where Frank J. Sprague successfully demonstrated his new system on the hills in 1888 A streetcar is a railway vehicle designed to carry passengers on tracks, usually laid in city streets. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Bill Madden is an American singer-songwriter who is also regarded as an activist. ...

Despite his modest size — usually listed during his playing career as five feet, six inches tall and either 150 or 160 pounds, though he rarely reached even the lower figure^[3] — Rizzuto played baseball as well as football at Richmond Hill High School in Queens.^[4] This article is about the sport. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... // Richmond Hill High School is located at 89-30 114th Street, Richmond Hill, New York 11418. ... For other uses, see Queens (disambiguation) and Queen. ...

Playing career

Phil Rizzuto's number 10 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1985

Rizzuto was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1937. His nickname, at times attributed to Yankees broadcaster Mel Allen, was actually bestowed on Rizzuto (according to him) by minor league teammate Billy Hitchcock because of the way Rizzuto ran the bases. Image File history File links YankeesRetired10. ... Image File history File links YankeesRetired10. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... The following are the baseball events of the year 1937 throughout the world. ... Mel Allen (1955) Mel Allen (February 14, 1913 – June 16, 1996) was an American sportscaster, best known for his long tenure as the primary play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees. ... William Clyde Hitchcock (born July 31, 1916, Inverness, Alabama) is a retired infielder, coach, manager and scout in American Major League Baseball. ...

After being named the Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1940 while playing with the Kansas City Blues, he played his first major league game on April 14, 1941. Taking over for the well-liked Frank Crosetti, whose batting average had dropped to .194 after several strong seasons, Rizzuto quickly fit into the Yankees lineup to form an outstanding middle infield with second baseman Joe Gordon. In his syndicated column on October 1, Grantland Rice compared the pair favorably to the middle infield of the crosstown Brooklyn Dodgers: "Billy Herman and Pee Wee Reese around the highly important keystone spot don't measure up, over a season anyway, with Joe Gordon and Phil Rizzuto, a pair of light-footed, quick-handed operatives who can turn seeming base hits into double plays often enough to save many a close scrap."^[5] The Sporting News (TSN) is an American-based sports newspaper. ... The city of Kansas City, Missouri fielded several different baseball teams in several leagues in the 19th century. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1941 throughout the world. ... Frank Crosetti was a shortstop for the New York Yankees during the 1930s and 40s. ... Joe Gordon can refer to different people: Joe Gordon, the American baseball player. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Grantland Rice (November 1, 1880–July 13, 1954) was an early 20th century American sportswriter. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) Brooklyn Dodgers (1913) Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers (1911-1912) Brooklyn Superbas (1899... William Jennings Bryan Herman (July 7, 1909 - September 5, 1992) was a Major League Baseball player during the 1930s and 1940s. ... Harold Henry Pee Wee Reese (July 23, 1918 - August 14, 1999) was an American professional baseball player who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1940 to 1958. ...

Rizzuto's rookie season ended in the World Series, and though he hit poorly, the Yankees beat the Dodgers. The following year, Rizzuto led all hitters, for both the Yankees and the opposing St. Louis Cardinals, with 8 hits and a .381 average in the 1942 World Series; the light-hitting shortstop even added a home run after hitting just 4 in the regular season. Like many players of the era, his career was interrupted by a stint in the United States Navy during World War II. From 1943 through 1945, he played on a Navy baseball team alongside Dodgers shortstop Reese; the team was managed by Yankees catcher Bill Dickey. The 1941 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in five games to capture their fifth title in six years, and their ninth overall. ... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... The 1942 World Series featured the defending champion New York Yankees against the St. ... USN redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1945 throughout the world. ... William Malcolm Dickey (June 6, 1907 - November 12, 1993) was a Major League Baseball player and manager. ...

In 1947 Rizzuto recorded a .969 fielding average, breaking Crosetti's 1939 team record for shortstops of .968. He broke his own record the following year with a .973 mark. The following are the baseball events of the year 1947 throughout the world. ... == July == July 4 = Lou Gehrig day was held at Yankee Stadium,Lou said in his speech that he is the luckiest man on the face of the earth. ...

Rizzuto's peak as a player was 1949-50, when he was moved into the leadoff spot. In 1950, his MVP season, he hit .324 with 92 walks, and scored 125 runs. Rizzuto also handled 238 consecutive chances without an error that season, setting the record for shortstops. From September 18, 1949 through June 7, 1950, he played 58 games at shortstop without an error, breaking the AL record of 46 set by Eddie Joost in 1947-1948; the record stood until Ed Brinkman played error-free for 72 games in 1972. Rizzuto recorded 123 double plays in 1950, three more than Crosetti's total from 1938; it remains the Yankee record. Rizzuto's 1950 fielding percentage of .9817 led the league, and came within less than a point of Lou Boudreau's league record of .9824, set in 1947. Rizzuto's mark was a franchise record until 1976, when Yankees shortstop Fred Stanley posted a mark of .983. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1950 throughout the world. ... Rashad Eldridge of the Oklahoma Redhawks walks to first base after drawing a base on balls. ... Bengie Molina of the Anaheim Angels (in gray and red) scores a run by touching home plate after rounding all the bases. ... In baseball, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance should have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder. ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Edwin David Joost (born June 5, 1916, in San Francisco, California) is a former shortstop and playing manager in American Major League Baseball. ... Edwin Albert Brinkman (born December 8, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio) was a Major League Baseball shortstop. ... The following are the events of the year 1972 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1938 throughout the world. ... Louis Boudreau (July 17, 1917 - August 10, 2001) was a Major League Baseball player and the American League MVP Award winner in 1948. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 14 - Ted Turner completes the purchase of 100 percent of the Atlanta Braves. ... Frederick Blair Stanley (born August 13, 1947 in Farnhamville, Iowa) was a Major League Baseball player from 1969 to 1982 for the Seattle Pilots, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, and Oakland Athletics. ...

Rizzuto was voted the American League's Most Valuable Player by a large margin in 1950, after having been the runner-up for the award behind Ted Williams in 1949. Rizzuto played in five All-Star Games, in 1942 and each year from 1950 to 1953. In 1950, he also won the Hickok Belt, awarded to the top professional athlete of the year, and was named Major League Player of the Year by The Sporting News. He was voted top major league shortstop by The Sporting News four consecutive years (1949-1952). In the game of baseball, both amateur and professional, it is tradition to annually recognize the one player in the league who has contributed the most to the success of the players team. ... Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002), best known as Ted Williams, nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame and The Thumper, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1949 throughout the world. ... The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the respective managers (from the previous years World... The following are the baseball events of the year 1942 throughout the world. ... The following are the events of the year 1953 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... The S. Ray Hickok Belt was a trophy awarded to the top professional athlete of the year. ...

Rizzuto batted .320 in the 1951 World Series, for which the New York chapter of the BBWAA later voted him the Babe Ruth Award as the Series' top player. Decades later, Rizzuto still spoke resentfully of the incident in which pugnacious New York Giants second baseman Eddie Stanky sparked a rally by kicking the ball out of Rizzuto's glove on a tag play. The 1951 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the New York Giants, who had won the National League pennant in a thrilling three-game playoff with the Brooklyn Dodgers on a legendary home run by Bobby Thomson (the Shot Heard Round the World). ... official logo The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers and magazines. ... The Babe Ruth Award was an annual award given to the Major League Baseball player with the best performance in the World Series, similar to the World Series MVP Award. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885–1957) New York Gothams (1883–1885) Other nicknames Jints, Gigantes, G-Men Ballpark AT... Edward Raymond (Eddie) Stanky (September 3, 1916 - June 16, 1999), nicknamed The Brat, was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. ...

Rizzuto's 1953 Topps baseball card read in part: "Phil was turned down by the Dodgers because he was too small. He tried out for the Yanks. Despite his size, a scout liked him and sent him to a Yank farm. Later Phil was the Yank shortstop who helped N.Y. beat the Dodgers in three World Series!" Ty Cobb named Phil Rizzuto and Stan Musial as "two of the few modern ball players who could hold their own among old timers." Yankees manager Casey Stengel had famously dismissed Rizzuto during that Brooklyn Dodgers tryout in 1935 when Stengel was managing that team, advising him to "go get a shoeshine box." But Stengel ended up managing Rizzuto during five consecutive championship seasons, and would later say, "He is the greatest shortstop I have ever seen in my entire baseball career, and I have watched some beauties." During his heyday, Yankees pitcher Vic Raschi noted, "My best pitch is anything the batter grounds, lines or pops in the direction of Rizzuto." Decades into his retirement, teammate Joe DiMaggio characterized Rizzuto's enduring appeal to fans: "People loved watching me play baseball. Scooter, they just loved." The Topps Company, Inc. ... Tyrus Raymond Ty Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed The Georgia Peach, was a Hall of Fame baseball player and is regarded by historians and journalists[2][3] as the best player of the dead-ball era and as one of the greatest players of all time. ... Stan Musials number 6 was retired by the St. ... Charles Dillon Casey Stengel (July 30, 1890 - September 29, 1975), nicknamed The Old Professor, was an American baseball player and manager from the early 1910s into the 1960s. ... Victor John Angelo Vic Raschi (March 28, 1919-October 14, 1988) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Rizzuto was noted for "small ball", strong defense, and clutch hitting, which helped the Yankees win seven World Series. As an offensive player, he is particularly regarded as one of the best bunters of his era; he led the AL in sacrifice hits every season from 1949 to 1952. In retirement, he often tutored players on the bunt during spring training. In the announcing booth, Rizzuto talked about the several different kinds of bunts he would use in different situations. Later during his broadcasting career, he occasionally expressed disappointment that the art of bunting had largely been lost in baseball. Rizzuto was among the AL's top five players in stolen bases seven times. Defensively, he led the league three times each in double plays and total chances per game, twice each in fielding and putouts, and once in assists. Rizzuto ranks among the top ten players in several World Series categories, including games, hits, walks, runs, and steals. Three times during his career, the Yankees played until Game Seven of the World Series; Rizzuto batted .455 in those three games (1947, 1952, 1955). For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ... A Little League baseball player squares around to bunt. ... In baseball, a sacrifice hit (also called a sacrifice bunt) is the act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base, while the batter is himself put out. ... The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1988. ...

In Rizzuto's obituary, The New York Times recalled a play that had occurred on September 17, 1951, with the Yankees and Cleveland Indians tied for first place and just 12 games left in the season: Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 5, 14, 18, 19, 21, 42, 455 Name Cleveland Indians (1915–present) Cleveland Naps (1905-1914) Cleveland Bronchos (1902-1904) Cleveland Blues (1901) Other nicknames The Tribe, The Wahoos Ballpark Jacobs Field (1994–present...

Rizzuto was at bat (he was righthanded) against Bob Lemon of the Cleveland Indians. It was the bottom of the ninth inning, in the middle of a pennant chase. The score was tied at 1. DiMaggio was on third base. Rizzuto took Lemon’s first pitch, a called strike, and argued the call with the umpire. That gave him time to grab his bat from both ends, the sign to DiMaggio that a squeeze play was on for the next pitch. But DiMaggio broke early, surprising Rizzuto. Lemon, seeing what was happening, threw high, to avoid a bunt, aiming behind Rizzuto. But with Joltin’ Joe bearing down on him, Rizzuto got his bat up in time to lay down a bunt. “If I didn’t bunt, the pitch would’ve hit me right in the head,” Rizzuto said. “I bunted it with both feet off the ground, but I got it off toward first base.” DiMaggio scored the winning run. Stengel called it “the greatest play I ever saw.”

As the winning run scored, Lemon angrily threw both the ball and his pitching glove into the stands. In baseball, a squeeze play is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third and fewer than two outs. ...

Rizzuto was released by the Yankees on August 25, 1956. Rizzuto often talked about the unusual circumstances of his release. Late in the 1956 season, the Yankees re-acquired Enos Slaughter, who had been with the team in 1954-55, and asked Rizzuto to meet with the front office to discuss adjustments to the upcoming postseason roster. They then asked Rizzuto to look over the list of Yankee players and suggest which ones might be cut to make room for Slaughter. For each name Rizzuto mentioned, a reason was given as to why that player needed to be kept. Finally, Rizzuto realized that the expendable name was his own. is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... September 30 Chicago White Sox pitcher Jim Derrington becomes the youngest pitcher in modern history to start a game. ... Enos Bradsher Slaughter (April 26, 1916 - August 12, 2002) was an American baseball player. ...

He called former teammate George Stirnweiss, who told him to refrain from "blasting" the Yankees because it might cost him a non-playing job later. Rizzuto said many times that following Stirnweiss' advice was probably the best move he ever made.

Personal life

Rizzuto married Cora Anne Ellenborn on June 23, 1943; the two first met the previous year when Rizzuto substituted for Joe DiMaggio as a speaker at a Newark communion breakfast. “I fell in love so hard I didn’t go home,” Rizzuto recalled. He rented a nearby hotel room for a month to be near her. is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Nickname: Map of Newark in Essex County County Founded/Incorporated 1666/1836 Government  - Mayor Cory Booker, term of office 2006–2010 Area [1]  - City 67. ...

Despite Rizzuto's desire to be near Cora, wives did not come along on Yankee road trips. Years later, on hearing that former teammate Joe DiMaggio was to marry Marilyn Monroe, Yogi Berra quipped, "I don't know if it's good for baseball, but it sure beats the hell out of rooming with Phil Rizzuto." This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962), was a Golden Globe Award-winning American actress, singer, model and pop icon. ... Lawrence Peter Yogi Berra (born May 12, 1925 in St. ...

The Rizzutos moved to Hillside, New Jersey in 1950, to a home on Windsor Way. With later financial successes, they moved to a magnificent Tudor home on Westminster Avenue, where they lived for many years. Map of Hillside Township in Union County Hillside is a Township located in Union County, New Jersey. ... Ascott House, Buckinghamshire. ...

During his playing days, Rizzuto (along with several other big leaguers) would work in the off season at the American Shops off U.S. Route 22 near Bayonne, New Jersey. At a charity event in 1951, Rizzuto met a young blind boy named Ed Lucas, who had lost his sight when he was struck by a baseball between the eyes on the same day as Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World." Rizzuto took an interest in the boy, and his school, St. Joseph's School for the Blind. Until his death, Rizzuto raised millions for St. Joseph's by donating profits from his commercials and books, and also by hosting the Annual Phil Rizzuto Celebrity Golf Classic and "Scooter" Awards. Rizzuto and Lucas remained friendly, and it was through the Yankee broadcaster's influence that Lucas' 2006 wedding was the only one ever conducted at Yankee Stadium. Lucas was one of Rizzuto's last visitors at his nursing home, days before his death. Signs for U-turn ramps on US 22 in Union County, New Jersey United States Highway 22, an east-west route, is one of the original United States highways of 1926. ... Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, south of Jersey City. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1951 throughout the world. ... Robert Brown Bobby Thomson (born October 25, 1923 in Glasgow, Scotland), nicknamed The Staten Island Scot, is a Scottish-American former Major League Baseball outfielder and right-handed batter who played for the New York Giants (1946-53, 1957), Milwaukee Braves (1954-57), Chicago Cubs (1958-59), Boston Red Sox... The Shot Heard Round the World In baseball, the Shot Heard Round the World is the term given to the walk-off home run hit by New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson off Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds to win the National League pennant at 3...

Broadcasting career

Rizzuto had had options following his release by the Yankees, including a player contract from the Cardinals and a minor league offer from the Dodgers. But Rizzuto, who'd filled in for the New York Giants' wraparound host Frankie Frisch in September 1956 following Frisch's heart attack, received a favorable response. With his eye on a post-playing career, Rizzuto submitted an audition tape to the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees' sponsor, Ballantine Beer, took notice, and insisted that the team hire Rizzuto as an announcer for the 1957 season. General manager George Weiss was obliged to fire Jim Woods to make room for Rizzuto in the booth. This article is about the current National Football League team. ... Francis Frankie Frisch (September 9, 1898 - March 12, 1973), nicknamed the Fordham Flash, was an American Major League Baseball player of the early 20th century. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 5, 8, 20, 22, 33, 42 Name Baltimore Orioles (1954–present) St. ... George Martin Weiss (June 23, 1895 - August 13, 1972) was one of Major League Baseballs most successful executives. ...

Rizzuto broadcast Yankee games on radio and television for the next 40 years. His popular catchphrase was "Holy cow." Rizzuto also became known for saying "Unbelievable!" "Oh, man" or "Did you see that?" to describe a great play, and would call somebody a "huckleberry" if he did something Rizzuto didn't like. He would frequently wish listeners a happy birthday or anniversary, send get-well wishes to fans in hospitals, and speak well of restaurants he liked, or of the cannoli he ate between innings. He also joked about leaving the game early, saying to his wife, "I'll be home soon, Cora!" and "I gotta get over that bridge", referring to the nearby George Washington Bridge, which he would use to get back to his home in Hillside. In later years, Rizzuto would announce the first six innings of Yankee games; the TV director would sometimes puckishly show a shot of the bridge (which can be seen from the top of Yankee Stadium) after Rizzuto had departed. Rizzuto was also very phobic about lightning, and sometimes left the booth following violent thunderclaps. A catch phrase is a phrase or expression that is popularized, usually through repeated use, by a real person or fictional character. ... Cannoli are Italian pastry desserts. ... For the bridge in New York that crosses the Harlem River, see Washington Bridge. ... This is about the stadium the New York Yankees currently play in. ... Astraphobia, also known as Brontophobia, Keraunophobia, or Tonitrophobia, is a fear of thunder and lightning. ...

Rizzuto's broadcast partners included Mel Allen (1957-1964), Red Barber (1957-66), Joe Garagiola (1965-67, 1964 and 1976 World Series), Jerry Coleman (1963-69), Bob Gamere (1970) , Frank Messer (1968-85), Bill White (1971-88), Tony Kubek (1976 World Series), former Yankee bullpen catcher Fran Healy (1978-81), John Gordon (1982-84), former Yankee slugger Bobby Murcer (1983-84, 1991-96, and still part of the Yankee broadcasting team in 2007), Spencer Ross (1985), Jim Kaat (1986), Billy Martin (1986-87, in between his third and fourth stints as Yankee manager), George Grande (1989-90), Tom Seaver (1989-93), Paul Olden (1994-95), and Rick Cerone (1996). Allen, Barber, Garagiola and Coleman have all been honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame as broadcasters, and Seaver has been inducted as a player. Coleman and Martin had been double play partners of Rizzuto as second basemen for the Yankees. Mel Allen (1955) Mel Allen (February 14, 1913 – June 16, 1996) was an American sportscaster, best known for his long tenure as the primary play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees. ... Walter Lanier Red Barber (February 17, 1908 - October 22, 1992) was an American sportscaster. ... Joseph Henry Garagiola, Sr. ... Gerald Francis Jerry Coleman (born September 14, 1924) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and, currently, a play-by-play announcer for the San Diego Padres. ... Wallace Frank Messer (1925 - 2001) was an American sportscaster, best known for his 18 seasons announcing New York Yankees baseball games. ... William De Kova White (born January 28, 1934 in Lakewood, Florida) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and left-handed batter who played for the New York and San Francisco Giants (1956, 1958), St. ... Tony Kubek (left) interviews Joe Morgan following the Cincinnati Reds Game 4 victory in the 1976 World Series. ... Francis Xavier Healy (born September 6, 1946 in Holyoke, Massachusetts), is a former baseball catcher best known for his long tenure calling television broadcasts for the New York Mets on the MSG Network and Fox Sports Net-New York. ... The Right Honourable John Gordon, Mr Justice Gordon (November 23, 1849 - September 26, 1922) was an Irish lawyer and politician, who served as Attorney-General for Ireland and a Judge of the High Court. ... Bobby Ray Murcer (born May 20, 1946, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) was a professional baseball player for 17 seasons. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2007 throughout the world. ... Spencer Ross is an acclaimed sports broadcaster. ... Pitcher Jim Kaat James Lee Kaat (born November 7, 1938 in Zeeland, Michigan), nicknamed Kitty, is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators (I)/Minnesota Twins (1959-1973), Chicago White Sox (1973-1975), Philadelphia Phillies (1976-1979), New York Yankees (1979-1980), and St. ... Alfred Manuel Billy Martin (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989) was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. ... George Grande (pronounced like the English word grand) is an American sportscaster who hosted the first broadcast of SportsCenter on ESPN in 1979. ... George Thomas Seaver (born November 17, 1944 in Fresno, California) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the major leagues in 1967 and retired in 1986. ... Richard Aldo Cerone (born May 19, 1954 in Newark, New Jersey) was a Major League Baseball player from 1975 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Montreal Expos. ...

Rizzuto would typically refer to his broadcast partners by their last names, calling them "White", "Murcer" and "Seaver" instead of "Bill", "Bobby" or "Tom." Reportedly, he did the same with teammates during his playing days. Rizzuto developed a reputation as a "homer," an announcer who would sometimes lapse into rooting for the home team. As an announcer, Rizzuto devised the unique scoring notation "WW" for his scorecard; it stood for "Wasn't Watching."

Rizzuto's most significant moments as a broadcaster included the new single-season home run record set by Roger Maris on October 1, 1961, which he called on WCBS radio: Roger Eugene Maris (September 10, 1934 – December 14, 1985) was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who is primarily remembered for breaking Babe Ruths 34-year-old single-season home run record in 1961 on the last day of the season. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1961 throughout the world. ... WCBS (880 kHz. ...

• "Here's the windup, fastball, hit deep to right, this could be it! Way back there! Holy cow, he did it! Sixty-one for Maris! And look at the fight for that ball out there! Holy cow, what a shot! Another standing ovation for Maris, and they're still fighting for that ball out there, climbing over each other's backs. One of the greatest sights I've ever seen here at Yankee Stadium!"

Rizzuto also called the pennant-winning home run hit by Chris Chambliss in the American League Championship Series on October 14, 1976, on WPIX-TV: Chris Chambliss (born Carroll Christopher Chambliss on December 26, 1948 in Dayton, Ohio) was a Major League Baseball player from 1971-1988 for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. ... The 1976 American League Championship Series was won by the New York Yankees, who defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-2. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 14 - Ted Turner completes the purchase of 100 percent of the Atlanta Braves. ... WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City. ...

• "He hits one deep to right-center! That ball is out of here! The Yankees win the pennant! Holy cow, Chris Chambliss on one swing!" [As fans poured onto the field, tearing it up for souvenirs] "And the Yankees win the American League pennant. Unbelievable, what a finish! As dramatic a finish as you'd ever want to see! With all that delay, we told you Littell (Mark Littell, the Royals' reliever who gave up the homer) had to be a little upset. And holy cow, Chambliss hits one over the fence, he is being mobbed by the fans, and this field will never be the same, but the Yankees have won it in the bottom of the 9th, seven to six!"

Rizzuto and White were also on hand for the Pine Tar game involving George Brett on July 24, 1983. Mark Alan Littell (January 17, 1953 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri), is a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1973-1982. ... The baseball bat used by Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett in the Pine Tar Incident on July 24, 1983. ... This article deals with the baseball player George Howard Brett. ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ...

Rizzuto also had more than his share of malapropisms and stream-of-consciousness commentary, which annoyed his critics but amused his fans:

• "Uh-oh, deep to left-center, nobody's gonna get that one! Holy cow, somebody got it!"
• "Bouncer to third, they'll never get him! No, why don't I just shut up!"
• "All right! Stay fair! No, it won't stay fair. Good thing it didn't stay fair, or I think he would've caught it!"
• "Oh, these Yankees can get the clutch hits, Murcer. I might have to go home early, I just got a cramp in my leg."
• "Well, that kind of puts the damper on even a Yankee win." (He was still on the air, just after a game, when he heard that Pope Paul VI had just died. Esquire magazine called that the "Holiest Cow of 1978.")

As Dave Righetti hurled his no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox on July 4, 1983 at Yankee Stadium, Rizzuto -- broadcasting on WABC radio -- described the video of a close play as if his listeners could see it. Partner Frank Messer gently jogged the Scooter's memory by quipping "Which side of the radio are we looking at?" (To be fair, Rizzuto and Messer alternated that day between WABC radio, TV's SportsChannel (now Fox Sports Net New York) and the Fan Appreciation giveaways on the field.) This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... August 2005 issue of Esquire Esquire is a mens magazine by the Hearst Corporation. ... David Allan Righetti (born November 28, 1958 in San Jose, California), nicknamed Rags, is an American former left-handed pitcher, and current pitching coach, in Major League Baseball. ... In baseball and softball, a no-hit game (more commonly known as a no-hitter) refers to a contest in which one of the teams has prevented the other from getting an official hit during the entire length of the game, which must be at least 9 innings by the... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908–present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Olde Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912–present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1983 throughout the world. ... This is about the stadium the New York Yankees currently play in. ... WABC (770 kHz), known as NewsTalkRadio 77, is a radio station in New York City. ... SportsChannel America was a cable television network that existed in the 1980s and early 1990s. ... Fox Sports Net headquarters in Los Angeles. ...

During the openings to two separate telecasts, Rizzuto began by reading off a teleprompter, "Welcome to New York Yankee Baseball. I'm Bill White... wait a minute." Both times, this caused White, standing to Scooter's left, to burst out in laughter. On another occasion, Rizzuto introduced the team as "Bill Rizzuto" and "Phil White."

Rizzuto's relationships with White and Healy (the latter first worked with Rizzuto on radio) produced some good-humored exchanges, including one with White during the WPIX telecast of the American League Eastern Division title game on October 2, 1978. Red Sox batter Bob (Beetle) Bailey, who had gained a little weight, had just stepped into the batter's box: The American League East Division is one of Major League Baseballs six divisions. ... is the 275th day of the year (276th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1978 throughout the world. ... Robert Sherwood (Bob) Bailey (born October 13, 1942 in Long Beach, California) is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1962-66), Los Angeles Dodgers (1967-68), Montreal Expos (1969-75), Cincinnati Reds (1976-77) and Boston Red Sox (1977-78). ...

• RIZZUTO: "Looks a little out of shape, doesn't he, Bill?"
• WHITE: (chuckles) "Well, Beetle's been around a while..."
• RIZZUTO: "Yeah."
• WHITE: "Got a lot of money -- from the Pirates. Put it all in California real estate. That's why he's got that big...uh..."
• RIZZUTO (chuckles): "Big WHAT?"
• WHITE: "Well, big BANK account." (Both men laugh.)

On another occasion, Healy impishly introduced Rizzuto's return to the broadcast booth by saying, "Here's Scooter, back from the men's room," leading to the following exchange:

• RIZZUTO: "Healy, you huckleberry, you're not supposed to tell people that. Tell them I went to see Bill Veeck (the Chicago White Sox president). Besides, Healy, I've been drinking coffee all day. You know what happens when you drink coffee all day?"
• HEALY: "What's that, Scooter?"
• RIZZUTO: "You go see Bill Veeck."

Not all of Rizzuto's broadcasting experiences were jovial. On the evening of the funeral of former teammate Mickey Mantle (August 15, 1995 in Dallas, Texas), the Yankees were set to play a road game against the Boston Red Sox. Rizzuto naturally assumed that he would be allowed to miss the game to attend the funeral with former teammates, but was scheduled to call the game. WPIX and/or the Yankees refused to let him go, citing that "someone needed to do the color commentary." Rizzuto eventually gave into emotion and abruptly left the booth in the middle of the telecast saying he could not go on. Rizzuto announced his retirement from announcing soon afterwards, which many attributed to the incident. However, he was eventually persuaded to return for one more season in 1996.^[6] When he retired that season, he had spent parts of seven decades in the Yankee organization. Although Mel Allen is to this day identified as "The Voice of the Yankees," Rizzuto was a Yankee broadcaster for 40 years to Allen's 29. William Louis Veeck Jr. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 16, 19, 42, 72, Name Chicago White Sox (1904–present) Other nicknames The Sox, The South Siders, The ChiSox, The Pale Hose, The Good Guys, The Go-Go Sox, The... Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Dallas redirects here. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908–present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Olde Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912–present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds...

Rizzuto had played alongside Bobby Brown and announced alongside Bill White; Brown and White would later serve concurrently as presidents of the American and National Leagues, respectively, between 1989 and 1994. Rizzuto placed 27th in Curt Smith's book Voices of Summer, which ranked baseball's 101 all-time best announcers. Robert William Brown, M.D. (born October 28, 1924 in Seattle, Washington) is a former third baseman and executive in Major League Baseball who served as president of the American League from 1984 to 1994. ... William De Kova White (born January 28, 1934 in Lakewood, Florida) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and left-handed batter who played for the New York and San Francisco Giants (1956, 1958), St. ... Curt Smith is an American author, radio/television host, columnist and former speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush. ...

Additional media career

Rizzuto was the longtime celebrity spokesman in TV ads for The Money Store. He was their spokesman for nearly 20 years, from the 1970s into the 1990s. He also served for a number of years as the commercial spokesperson for Yoo-Hoo chocolate beverages. Rizzuto did a 5-minute weekday evening sports show ("It's Sports Time with Phil Rizzuto") from 1957 to 1977. The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ...

On February 2, 1950, Rizzuto was the very first mystery guest on the long-running 1950-67 Goodson-Todman Productions game show What's My Line? hosted by John Charles Daly. Rizzuto made four more appearances on the program, three as a guest panelist in the 1956-1957 season following his retirement, and one in 1970 as the Mystery Guest on a later incarnation of the quiz show. Rizzuto also made various television appearances on programs such as CBS's The Ed Sullivan Show and The Phil Silvers Show. is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also: 1949 in television, other events of 1950, 1951 in television and the list of years in television. // Events February 12 - European Broadcasting Union (EBU) inaugurated. ... Mark Goodson (January 14, 1915 – December 18, 1992) was an American television producer born in Sacramento, California. ... Whats My Line? is a weekly panel game show originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. ... John Charles Daly on Whats My Line? John Charles Daly (full given name John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly, generally known as John Daly, February 20, 1914 – February 24, 1991), a native of Johannesburg, South Africa, was a journalist, game show host, radio personality, actor, and author. ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... The Ed Sullivan Show was an American television variety show that ran from June 20, 1948 to June 6, 1971, and was hosted by former entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. ... Opening Logo The Phil Silvers Show (originally titled Youll Never Get Rich) was a comedy television series which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959 for a total of 143 episodes (including a 1959 special). ...

Rizzuto is also the announcer who provides the play-by-play commentary during the long spoken bridge in Meat Loaf's 1977 song "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." Ostensibly an account of a baseball sequence, it actually describes the singer's step-by-step efforts to lose his virginity. Rizzuto was reportedly unaware of the suggestive double entendre nature of his spoken contribution, and claimed to be annoyed by the song's success after he began receiving disapproving letters from clergymen. However, by the time he was given a gold record for the album, the mini-controversy had been smoothed over. "Phil was no dummy," said singer Meat Loaf. "He knew exactly what was going on, and he told me such. He was just getting some heat from a priest and felt like he had to do something. I totally understood."^[7] Play-by-play, in broadcasting, is a North American term and means the reporting of a sporting event with a voiceover describing the details of the action of the game in progress. ... In popular music, especially occidental, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section. ... This article is about the singer. ... See also: 1970s in music. ... Paradise By the Dashboard Light is the second hit single by the American musician Meat Loaf, after Two Out of Three Aint Bad. It is a track off his 1977 album Bat Out of Hell, which was entirely written and composed by Jim Steinman. ... A double entendre is a figure of speech similar to the pun, in which a spoken phrase can be understood in either of two ways. ... The description Gold Album is applied to recorded music albums that have sold a minimum number of copies (in the US, currently 500,000 sales). ...

Rizzuto's cultural status was further elevated in 1993 when editors Tom Peyer and Hart Seely published O Holy Cow!: The Selected Verse of Phil Rizzuto, a collection of Rizzuto's on-air calls and disjointed anecdotes, transcribed and reformatted as found poetry. Rizzuto donated his royalties from the book, which contained more than 90 "poems," to a variety of children's charities. An example of Rizzuto the Poet was: Found poetry is the rearrangement of words, phrases, and sometimes whole passages that are taken from other sources and reframed as poetry by changes in spacing and/or lines (and consequently meaning), or by altering the text by additions and/or deletions. ...

• This Planet Warm and Human (excerpt)

Terrible.

Terrible what's happening in that situation.

And with all that going on down in Florida.

Boy.

They're still showing those pictures on TV

Of the damage down in Florida

By the way,

Are we going to Florida today,

Moore?

O that's in for a base hit!

Two runs will score!

No they won't.

Many other examples of Rizzuto "poetry" are available online.^{[8][9][10][11][12][13]}

Honors

The Yankees retired Rizzuto's number 10 in a ceremony at Yankee Stadium on August 4, 1985. During this ceremony, he was also given a plaque to be placed in the stadium's Monument Park. The plaque makes reference to the fact that he "has enjoyed two outstanding careers, all-time Yankee shortstop, one of the great Yankee broadcasters." Joe DiMaggio was on hand, stating that "Rizzuto is my Hall of Famer." Humorously, Rizzuto was accidentally bumped to the ground during his own ceremony, by a live cow wearing a halo (that is, a "holy cow"); both honoree and cow were unhurt. Rizzuto later described the encounter: "That big thing stepped right on my shoe and pushed me backwards, like a karate move." In that day's game, future broadcast partner Tom Seaver recorded his 300th career victory. is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 7 - Outfielder Lou Brock and knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. ... George Thomas Seaver (born November 17, 1944 in Fresno, California) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the major leagues in 1967 and retired in 1986. ...

Rizzuto plaque and number in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium

Most baseball observers, including Rizzuto himself, came to believe that Derek Jeter had surpassed him as the greatest shortstop in Yankees history. The Scooter paid tribute to his heir apparent during the 2001 postseason at Yankee Stadium; jogging back to the Yankee dugout, he flipped the ceremonial baseball backhand, imitating Jeter's celebrated game-saving throw to home plate that had just occurred during the Yankees' 2001 American League Division Series triumph. ESPN reported that the photo of Jeter and Rizzuto taken that evening is one of Jeter's most prized possessions. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 400 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1476 × 2214 pixel, file size: 651 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Please note: This image was originally uploaded to commons licensed as noted below, per the uploader. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 400 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1476 × 2214 pixel, file size: 651 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Please note: This image was originally uploaded to commons licensed as noted below, per the uploader. ... This is about the stadium the New York Yankees currently play in. ... Derek Sanderson Jeter (born June 26, 1974 in Pequannock, New Jersey) is an American Major League Baseball player. ... The 2001 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 2001 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 9, and ended on Monday, October 15, with the champions of the three AL divisions – along with a wild card team – participating in two best-of-five series. ...

In the spring of 1957, following Rizzuto's release, Baltimore Orioles manager Paul Richards said, "Among those shortstops whom I have had the good fortune to see in action, it's got to be Rizzuto on top for career achievement. For a five-year period, I would have to take Lou Boudreau. ... But, year after year, season after season, Rizzuto was a standout." Sportswriter Dan Daniel wrote at the time, "It seems to me that Rizzuto must be included among the few players of the past five years who may look forward to ultimate election to the Hall of Fame." ^[3] However, Daniel's assessment did not come to pass for over 35 years. Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 5, 8, 20, 22, 33, 42 Name Baltimore Orioles (1954–present) St. ... Paul Rapier Richards (November 21, 1908 - May 4, 1986) was an American player, manager, scout and executive in Major League Baseball. ... Dan (June 6, 1890 – July 1, 1981), born Daniel Margowitz, was an American sportswriter whose prolific contributions over a long period led him to be called the Dean of American Baseball Writers. ...

He was elected to the Hall of Fame along with Leo Durocher (who was selected posthumously), in 1994 by the Veterans Committee, following a long campaign for Rizzuto's election by Yankee fans who were frustrated that he had not received the honor. The push for Rizzuto became especially acute after 1984, when the committee elected Pee Wee Reese, the similarly-regarded shortstop of the crosstown Brooklyn Dodgers. Leo Ernest Durocher (July 27, 1905 — October 7, 1991), nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. ... The following are the events of the year 1994 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... The Veterans Committee, officially the Committee on Baseball Veterans, is a committee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame that provides a second chance for Hall of Fame election to players passed over in regular Hall of Fame balloting. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1984 throughout the world. ... Harold Henry Pee Wee Reese (July 23, 1918 - August 14, 1999) was an American professional baseball player who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1940 to 1958. ...

Supporter Ted Williams claimed that his Red Sox would have won most of the Yankees' 1940s and 1950s pennants if they had had Rizzuto at shortstop.^[14] Though the claim is dubious, the statement suggests the level of respect Rizzuto's play commanded. Williams was no doubt influenced by the 1949 season, which coincided with Rizzuto's best playing performance and resulted in Boston finishing just one game behind the 97-win Yankees. (The Red Sox finished just three games out in 1950, Rizzuto's MVP season.) Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002), best known as Ted Williams, nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame and The Thumper, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball. ...

Bill James later used Rizzuto's long candidacy as a recurring focus in his book Whatever Happened to the Hall of Fame?, devoting several chapters to the shortstop's career and comparisons with similar players. James assessed Rizzuto's career statistics as historically substandard by Hall of Fame standards, although he acknowledged that credit must be given for the years he missed in WWII, and criticized many of the public arguments both for and against his selection; but despite noting that Rizzuto was a great defensive player and a good hitter he stated that he could not endorse his candidacy, as there were too many similar players with virtually identical accomplishments.^[15] The book's final paragraph noted Rizzuto's election to the Hall in February 1994. James, however, did point out that there were numerous players in the Hall who were inferior to Rizzuto, and in 2001 he selected Rizzuto as the 16th greatest shortstop of all time,^[16] ahead of eight other Hall of Famers. George William “Bill” James (born October 5, 1949 in Holton, Kansas) is a baseball writer, historian and statistician whose work has been widely influential. ... Whatever Happened to the Hall of Fame? Baseball, Cooperstown, and the Politics of Glory is a book by famed baseball sabermetrician and author Bill James. ...

Rizzuto was modest about his achievements, saying, "I never thought I deserved to be in the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is for the big guys, pitchers with 100 mph fastballs and hitters who sock homers and drive in a lot of runs. That’s the way it always has been, and the way it should be."^[17]

Rizzuto gave a memorably discombobulated induction speech at Cooperstown, in which he repeatedly complained about the buzzing flies that were pestering him. Rizzuto's "inimitable and wondrous digressions and ramblings" were mimicked by New York Times columnist Ira Berkow: The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ...

• Anyway, somewhere in the speech (Rizzuto) told about leaving home in Brooklyn for the first time when he was 19 years old and going to play shortstop in the minor league town of Bassett, Va., and he was on a train with no sleeper and when he got his first taste of Southern fried chicken and it was great and it was also the first time that he ever ate -- "Hey, White, what's that stuff that looks like oatmeal?" -- and Bill White, his onetime announcing partner on Yankee broadcasts, and, like all his partners, never seemed to learn their first names, though he knew the first and last names of a lot of the birthdays he forever is announcing and the owners of his favorite restaurants even though as he admits he often talks about the score or the game, but after 38 years of announcing games and after a 13-year playing career with championship Yankee teams few seem to care about this either, well, White was in the audience and stood up and said "Grits."

In 1999, the minor league Staten Island Yankees named their mascot "Scooter the Holy Cow," after Rizzuto.^[18]

Death

Rizzuto died in his sleep on August 13, 2007, three days short of the 51st anniversary of his last game as a Yankee. He had been in declining health for several years and was living at a nursing home in West Orange, New Jersey for the last months of his life.^[19][20] is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Map of West Orange Township in Essex County West Orange is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. ...

When Rizzuto did not attend the annual Cooperstown reunion in 2005 and the annual New York Yankees Old Timers Day in 2006, questions were raised about his health. His last public appearance came early in 2006; visibly frail, he announced that he was putting much of his memorabilia on the market. In September 2006, Rizzuto's 1950 MVP plaque fetched $175,000, three of his World Series rings sold for $84,825, and a Yankee cap with a wad of chewing gum on it went for $8,190. The majority of the proceeds went to Phil's longtime charity of choice, Jersey City's St. Joseph's School for the Blind. ^[21] Old-Timers Day (or Old-Timers Game) generally refers to a tradition in Major League Baseball of a team, especially the New York Yankees, devoting the afternoon preceding a weekend afternoon game to celebrate the baseball-related accomplishments of its former players who have since retired. ... The skyline of Jersey City, as seen from Lower New York Bay. ...

On September 12, 2006, the New York Post revealed that Rizzuto was currently in a "private rehab facility, trying to overcome muscle atrophy and problems with his esophagus."^[21] During his last extensive interview, on WFAN in late 2005, Rizzuto revealed that he had an operation where much of his stomach was removed and that he was being treated with medical steroids, a subject he joked about at the time in light of baseball's performance-enhancing drugs scandal. At the time of his death, Rizzuto was the oldest living member of Baseball's Hall of Fame, at 89. is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and the oldest to have been published continually as a daily. ... // Clinical settings of atrophy There are many diseases and conditions which cause a decrease in muscle mass, known as atrophy. ... The esophagus (also spelled oesophagus/Å“sophagus, Greek ), or gullet is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. ... For other uses, see WFAN (disambiguation). ... Performance-enhancing drugs are substances used by athletes to improve their performances in the sports in which they engage. ...

Rizzuto is survived by his wife, Cora, daughters Cindy Rizzuto, Patricia Rizzuto and Penny Rizzuto Yetto, son Phil Rizzuto Jr., and two granddaughters. ^[22]

Rizzuto in popular culture

• In a scene from the 1995 movie Billy Madison, Adam Sandler's character Billy is showing off his cursive writing to the third graders when his teacher asks him to spell "Rizzuto." Not knowing how to write Z's, he writes "Rirruto"

Veronica Vaughn: Rirruto?

Billy Madison: Those're Z's.

Veronica Vaughn: They look like R's to me.

Billy Madison: That's not fair, Rizzuto is not a word, he's a baseball player, you're CHEATING!

• The Seinfeld episode "The Pothole" features a Phil Rizzuto key chain that says "Holy Cow!" whenever its head is squeezed. George, who received one as a Yankees employee, promptly loses it, and it is sealed under asphalt in a pothole. Kramer, upon seeing it unburied, erroneously proclaims it a "talking Nixon."
• Pro wrestler and New York native Mick Foley wrote a baseball-themed novel entitled Scooter in which the main character Scooter Reilly is named after Rizzuto.
• In the opening scene of the 1989 movie Sea of Love, Al Pacino plays a police detective who goes undercover as Phil Rizzuto. A "New York Yankees rally" is really an undercover sting operation for dozens of wanted felons who show up in response to an "invitation" to meet and greet their favorite Yankee players at a breakfast. Before the ruse is revealed, Pacino is serving orange juice while wearing a Yankees windbreaker. One of the felons asks Pacino when the Yankees are due to arrive, and Pacino responds with, "What...you don't recognize me?... Holy Cow!" The felon smiles broadly in recognition, saying, "Yeah, yeah...that IS you!"
• Rizzuto was played by Joe Grifasi in HBO's film 61*.

Billy Madison is a 1995 comedy starring Adam Sandler in the title role about a slacker who must go back to school in order to take over his fathers company. ... Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, musician, screenwriter, and film producer. ... Seinfeld is an Emmy Award-winning, American sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, running a total of 9 seasons. ... The Pothole is the one-hundred and fiftieth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... George Louis Costanza (b. ... Cosmo Kramer is a fictional character on the United States based television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998), played by Michael Richards. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Michael Francis Mick Foley, Sr. ... Sea of Love is a 1989 drama about New York City detective Frank Keller trying to catch a serial killer who finds victims through the lonely hearts column in newspapers. ... Alfredo James Pacino (born April 25, 1940) is an Academy, Golden Globe, Tony, BAFTA, Emmy, and SAG award winning American actor who is best known for playing the roles of Tony Montana in the 1983 film Scarface and Michael Corleone in The Godfather Trilogy . ... Joe Grifasi (born on 14 June 1944 in Buffalo, New York, USA) is an American character actor. ... For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ... 61* is a United States baseball movie, made for HBO, directed by Billy Crystal and written by Hank Steinberg. ...

References

Dan (June 6, 1890 – July 1, 1981), born Daniel Margowitz, was an American sportswriter whose prolific contributions over a long period led him to be called the Dean of American Baseball Writers. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) Brooklyn Dodgers (1913) Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers (1911-1912) Brooklyn Superbas (1899... George William “Bill” James (born October 5, 1949 in Holton, Kansas) is a baseball writer, historian and statistician whose work has been widely influential. ... Whatever Happened to the Hall of Fame? Baseball, Cooperstown, and the Politics of Glory is a book by famed baseball sabermetrician and author Bill James. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Free Press is an imprint of Simon & Schuster with headquarters in New York City. ... The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and the oldest to have been published continually as a daily. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• National Baseball Hall of Fame
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• Full Hall of Fame video of Rizzuto's induction speech
• Edited excerpts of Phil Rizzuto's broadcasting style, from a 1974 Yankees-Angels game
• Phil Rizzuto at the Internet Movie Database
• "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" music video with lyrics