Bob Sheppard: Voice of the Yankees

If there is one voice that can be associated with any team any event or anything in baseball at all, it is the voice of Bob Sheppard, the Yankee Stadium announcer. He has a particular gusto to his voice that is unparalleled. I can't say what it would be like watching a game at Yankee stadium without him announcing the names. That's because I'm only 24 years old. It's not that I haven't gone to games all my life, I 've gone as long as I can remember, and Sheppard has been announcing all that time. In fact, Sheppard has been announcing more than double that time, since 1951. I don't know if everyone grasps this so I will let it sink in.

Bob Sheppard has announced every openeing day from 1951 until last year's 2005 home opener. This year he missed because of a serious injury we all hope he comes back from soon. What this means for those of you out there who stil don't grasp how long his tenure has been, is that Sheppard announced the Yankee stadium debut of every Yankee from Mickey Mantle, to Thurman Munson, to Reggie Jackson, to Don Mattingly, to Derek Jeter, to Robinson Cano. Every Yankee. He was announcing during the great Home Run race in 1961 and was still announcing during the second and thrid home run races of 1998 and 2001! That doesn't impres you? How about this? Sheppard was announcing three years before Hank Aaron ever stepped onto a ballfield, let alone hit his first of 755 home runs. He is still announcing as Barry Bonds, a player who didn't come to the majors until ten years after Hank Aaron retired, is approaching Aaron and Ruth's home run marks himself. The history this man has seen and been a part of at Yankee stadium is unbelievable. His announcing skills are obviously great too.

Here's hoping he gets well soon and we can here that rich deep voice over the loudspeakers shaping the words "Derek Jeter" the way they are supposed to sound, the only way anyone has ever heard them sound in Yankee stadium before yesterday.