Phil Rizzuto

High school

Richmond Hill High School

Pro team(s)

New York Yankees

Hall of Fame

⭐ National Baseball Hall of Fame

Philip Francis Rizzuto was born on September 25, 1917, in Brooklyn and grew up in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens, where he attended Richmond Hill High School. Standing only 5-foot-6, Rizzuto was told by Giants manager Bill Terry to "go get a shoebox" when he tried out, and was also rejected by the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankees saw a different player: a sure-handed shortstop with outstanding range, a knack for the clutch hit, and a competitive fire that belied his size. Rizzuto became the glue of the great Yankees dynasty of the late 1940s and 1950s. He was a nine-time All-Star, won the 1950 AL MVP award, and was the starting shortstop on seven World Series championship teams — the most Series titles of any Yankee who came up through the organization. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945, missing what would have been his peak years. After his playing career ended in 1956, Rizzuto transitioned to the broadcasting booth and spent 40 years as the Yankees' beloved radio and television voice. His exclamation of "Holy Cow!" became one of the most recognizable phrases in sports broadcasting, and his endearing tangents about birthday wishes, canoli, and bee stings made him a cultural institution in New York. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994 by the Veterans Committee. Born and raised in Queens, New York.