Phil Rizzuto

Philip Francis Rizzuto ( riz-OO-toh; September 25, 1917 – August 13, 2007), nicknamed "the Scooter", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) shortstop. He spent his entire 13-year baseball career with the New York Yankees (1941–1956), and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. A popular figure on a team dynasty that captured 10 AL titles and seven World Championships in his 13 seasons, Rizzuto holds numerous World Series records for shortstops. His best statistical season was 1950, when he was named the American League's Most Valuable Player. Generally, Rizzuto was a "small ball" player, noted for his strong defense in the infield and as a great bunter. When he retired, his 1,217 career double plays ranked second in major league history, 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. After his playing career, Rizzuto had a 40-year career as a radio and television sports announcer for the Yankees. He was a skilled play-by-play announcer who is best known for his idiosyncratic, conversational broadcast style, and for his trademark expression "holy cow!"