rizzuto01.jpgI just heard the news about Phil Rizzuto and wish to send along my best wishes. This Yankee fan never saw him play, but grew up on the announcing tandem of Rizzuto, Bill White, and Frank Messer at a time when we all chanted “Reg-gie”, “The Bronx was Burning”, and players had names (“The Goose”, “Gator”, “Sweet Lou”, “Mick-the-quick”) just as colorful as “The Scooter”. When it comes to Rizzuto and calling games, we loved him. Whether the phrase “Holy Cow” seems extremely corny to you, whether he might start talking about canolis in the middle of the telecast, or whether he had to leave by the 7th inning to get home to his wife Cora, we loved him.  If in his later years, he had to be corrected three times a game, or might forget the names of players on opposing teams, or would reactively call an outfield flyout a home runs (“that ball is gone!”), we still loved him. We loved him because he loved the Yankees more than we did and was unapologetic in his cheerleading. We cheered right along with him. Knowing that the “straight man” was Bill White’s job, he didn’t take himself too seriously so neither did we. We didn’t love him in spite of those things, but because of them. Like pinstripes, he became part of the Yankee fabric. If you weren’t a Yankee fan, you just might not understand.

Once again, COSELLOUT offers its condolences to Cora and the entire Rizzuto family.