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Angels’ tribute to Vin Scully is behind the scenes

Dodgers announcer Vin Scully is honored at home plate on his last Opening Day at Dodger Stadium on Apr. 12.

Dodgers announcer Vin Scully is honored at home plate on his last Opening Day at Dodger Stadium on Apr. 12.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Vin Scully wants no part of a public farewell tour, but the Angels did not want the last game Scully called in Anaheim to pass without some sort of tribute. So, in the hours before Thursday’s game, the Angels invited the Dodgers’ Hall of Fame broadcaster into a room at Angel Stadium.

Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, a longtime Dodgers catcher, was there. So were current and former Angels coaches who played for the Dodgers: Alfredo Griffin, Dave Hansen, Mickey Hatcher and Ron Roenicke.

“And then, out of the blue, Jered Weaver and Mike Trout,” Scully said.

Scioscia read a letter from the Angels, after which Scully said the team presented him with gifts: a vintage microphone, a windbreaker from his high school — Fordham Prep in New York — and silver from the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York, where Scully worked in high school seven decades ago.

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“I cleaned every single piece of silver,” Scully said. “I used to pass out twice a day.”

Scully said he appreciated the Angels’ gesture.

“It was lovely,” he said.

After the first inning, the Angel Stadium scoreboard read, “Thank you, Vin Scully.” The crowd responded with a standing ovation.

Scully, 88, will not call another road game until the final weekend of the regular season. The Dodgers finish the season in San Francisco, and Scully said he has not decided whether to call all three games against the Giants that weekend, or only the season finale Oct. 2.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com

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Twitter: @BillShaikin

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