Comfortably Zoned with Ralph Zig Tyko

Scooter and Harry: “Holy Cow” They’re Both Dead

August 30, 2007 at 6:48 pm (Baseball, Life & Death)

It’s hard for me to believe the Scooter is gone. Every day, some reminder that it’s all temporary. I’m lucky enough to remember him when he was still the Yankees shortstop, fighting off the likes of Willie Miranda for his yob [sic] in the bigs. When the Yankees cut him on Old Timer’s Day at the Stadium [cold bastards that they were], the terrific Gil McDougald played short.

I heard his early broadcasts with Melvin Allen [Israel] and Walter [Red] Barber. He was, at the time, quite competent and later came into his own as a fine announcer. It wasn’t until years later that he became a blithering idiot. Speaking of blithering idiots, Rizzuto stole Harry Carey’s “Holy Cow” trademark call. Years later, Bill King, a fantastic football and basketball announcer [and a somewhat less than fantastic baseball announcer] popularized “Holy Toledo.” Philip might have grabbed that one or any of the other “Holies” out there…

RIP, said blitherers and/or plagiarizers.

Pictured below is Phil Rizzuto on a 1952 Topps card that Topps reproduced a few years ago.