The San Francisco Giants won October and they have the World Series trophy to prove it. But Laurence Leavy, better known as Marlins Man, had himself one heck of a month too.
He went from peculiar sight -- who's that guy sitting behind home plate at the World Series? -- to legit pop culture phenomenon. The proof of that comes in the willingness of people to dress up like him for Halloween. This part shouldn't be overlooked: People are wearing Miami Marlins gear because of him.
Leavy caught the attention of the nation during Game 1 of the World Series in Kansas City, but he'd been going to playoff games earlier in October, too. He's a Miami-area attorney who travels to attend big-moment sporting events, and pays top dollar for premium seats. He was behind home plate for every World Series game, getting plenty of exposure on national TV.
By the end of the series, Marlins Man had reached a point of fame where he was signing autographs. And now, because we all love timely and topical costumes, people are dressing up like him. (It's also not the hardest costume, if you're that guy).
Time for a protege?
San Francisco Giants broadcaster Jon Miller suggested to Los Angeles Times' sportswriter Bill Shaikin that the Dodgers should hire a young broadcaster whom Vin Scully could mentor as his eventual successor, much as Red Barber had once done with Scully.
In every game Scully broadcasts for the Dodgers, he currently goes all nine innings alone. That doesn't mean, however, Scully would be against Miller's suggestion.
"Not at all," Scully said.
Scully said he had actually once made a recommendation for such a role, but the unnamed broadcaster received an attractive national offer and had a wife who seemed less than eager to move to Los Angeles.
And though careful to say choosing his eventual successor would not be up to him, but to the team, he's also not keen on eventually retiring without the Dodgers having a successor in mind.
"I would hope something would be developed for the future," Scully said. "I wouldn't want to leave them in the lurch."
Scully turns 87 at the end of the month, but has announced he will return for the 2015 season. Each year he makes a decision about returning, though next year will see him cut further down on his road trips.
Originally Scully said he would not make any road trips next season that weren't down the freeway to Anaheim, but now says he will include games in San Francisco against the World Series champion Giants.
Scully was fresh out of college when Barber took him under his wing to help with his radio broadcasts of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950. Barber -- like Scully -- was a proponent of one voice in the booth, so Scully initially did the third and seventh innings.
"He wanted me to succeed," Scully said. "He worked me hard. He really got on me."
Beginner's luck?
Senior Gustavo Angel Tamayo, a soccer player at Bryan College, made four consecutive baskets -- a layup, a free throw, a three-pointer and a halfcourt shot -- in 30 seconds to win a contest at the Dayton, Tenn., school for $10,000 in tuition money.
Still not impressed? Tamayo did it with a broken finger on his left hand and, as the London native told NBC News, "I've never played basketball in my life."
QUIZ
How many seasons has Vin Scully broadcast games for the Dodgers?
ANSWER
Next season will be Scully's 66th consecutive with the team.
Sports on 11/03/2014