Phil Rizzuto, the Hall of Fame shortstop during the New York Yankees winning reign of the 1940s and 1950s died Tuesday, August 14, 2007. He debuted with the New Yorker in 1941 and quickly was nicknamed ‘The Scooter’ by the news media for his uncanny sidesteps while retrieving a hard-hit ground ball. The 5-ft, 6 inch, 150-pound Rizzuto missed all of 1943-45 while proudly serving in the Navy during World War II. Phil Rizzuto was one of the best all-around shortstops in baseball history and helped the Yankees capture 11 AL pennants and nine World Series Titles. He later delighted New York fans while broadcasting games for a generation of new and old baseball fans. |