Dennis D’Agostino, who worked as an official scorer, statistician, sports historian and public relations expert at Dodger Stadium and in the NBA, passed away on Saturday night at the age of 66.
He worked at Dodger Stadium for the past three decades and often assisted the visiting team’s broadcasters with statistics and anecdotes when not serving as the official scorer.
The Los Angeles Dodgers honored D’Agostino in the Vin Scully Press Box with a bouquet of roses and a memorial card in the front row of the Vin Scully Press Box.
D’Agostino first started working in sports with the New York Mets public relations department after graduating from Fordham University. In addition to working in baseball, he also had a long career in the NBA.
D’Agostino spent 36 seasons with the New York Knicks as a team historian and writer and the past nine seasons with the Golden State Warriors, which included each of their six NBA Finals appearances.
“Dennis passionately and masterfully chronicled the story of our organization for more than three decades,” the Knicks said in a statement.
“As a native New Yorker, he offered an artistic reverence to communicating the Knicks legacy to our loyal fanbase like no one else could. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time.”
The NBA also issued a statement calling him “the quintessential public relations expert and a beloved member of the NBA family.”
“His genial and gregarious presence made him a joy to be around and an invaluable resource to the league office,” their statement added.
D’Agostino is survived by his wife and L.A. Times sports columnist Helene Elliot.
Dennis D’Agostino wrote two books
In 2003, D’Agostino wrote, “Garden Glory: An Oral History of the New York Knicks,” which chronicled the history and players of the franchise.
His 2007 book, “Through a Blue Lens,” was a celebration of Brooklyn Dodgers photographer Barney Stein, utilizing his photo archive in collaboration with Stein’s daughter, Bonnie Crosby.
It commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers’ last season in Brooklyn and included interviews with players such as Duke Snider, Don Newcombe and Johnny Podres, along with Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully.
More must-reads: