SEOUL, Aug. 3 (Yonhap) -- Former Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig, currently plying his trade in South Korea, paid tribute to the late voice of his former team, Vin Scully, on Wednesday, thanking the iconic broadcaster for giving him the famous nickname.
Scully, who called Dodgers games for 67 years, dating back to their Brooklyn days, died at the age of 94 earlier Wednesday (Korean time).
Puig, patrolling the outfield for the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), said he was "deeply saddened" by the news of Scully's death. Puig played for the Dodgers from 2013 to 2018.
In this file photo from July 14, 2022, Yasiel Puig of the Kiwoom Heroes picks up a base hit against the SSG Landers during the top of the sixth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, 30 kilometers west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
"He gave me the nickname 'Wild Horse' after I got my first major league hit (during the first week of June 2013)," Puig recalled. "I absolutely loved it. I thought it was such a cool nickname. I even launched a charity foundation under that name, and it's so sad that I won't get to see him again."
Puig said when he first joined the Dodgers, Scully offered him plenty of advice on life away from baseball and helped him adjust to the big leagues.
"It's a shame that I won't get to pay my respect in person," Puig said.
Earlier Wednesday, Puig uploaded a photo of himself with Scully from his Dodger days on Instagram, with the caption: "Baseball. It's going to miss you my friend. #RIP #sadday."
In a video tribute, Puig said: "Today is a sad day for myself, for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the whole community of Los Angeles, and for everybody who loves baseball. We lost, today, one of the greatest persons I've ever met. Vin Scully. He showed me a lot of love. We miss you so much. I am so sad we lost you today. At the same moment, I want to thank you for everything you did for baseball."
This Associated Press file photo from May 3, 2017, shows the former Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully during his induction into the team's Ring of Honor prior to a Major League Baseball regular season game between the Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Scully, who called Dodgers games for 67 years, died on Aug. 2, 2022, at the age of 94. (Yonhap)
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