"A New York Treasure" --Village Voice

God is Dead

The great Bob Sheppard passed away this morning. He was 99. It’s safe to say that he helped shape our memories in the Bronx as much as any player ever has.

He lead a wonderful life–my uncle Fred is 80 and had Sheppard as a drama teacher in high school out in Queens–and will be missed.

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21 comments

1 Raf   ~  Jul 11, 2010 10:48 am

Whoa!

2 knuckles   ~  Jul 11, 2010 10:53 am

This is not unexpected, but it's sad nonetheless.
I wish the Yanks were playing in the Bronx this afternoon...

3 Diane Firstman   ~  Jul 11, 2010 10:56 am

2 years minus one day after we lose Murcer ... right around the ASG each time .... kinda cosmic. They were both All-Stars.

4 YankeeAbby   ~  Jul 11, 2010 11:23 am

:-(

5 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 11, 2010 11:26 am

Rest in peace, Bob

6 monkeypants   ~  Jul 11, 2010 11:55 am

I know all things change, and i try not let baseball nostalgia get the best of me. That said, in many small ways the Yankees don't seem the same to me anymore, or rather following them doesn't feel the same anymore. This sad news, although we all knew it was coming, only adds to the sense of discontinuity that I sometimes feel.

7 NYYfan22   ~  Jul 11, 2010 11:58 am

Whenever I'm at the Stadium, as soon as the announcer starts yapping.. I immediately think about Bob. I'm sure it's like that with thousands of other fans, too. What a life. What a career!

RIP, Bob Sheppard.

8 Just Fair   ~  Jul 11, 2010 12:30 pm

Fare thee well, Mr. Sheppard. Fare thee well.

9 Raf   ~  Jul 11, 2010 12:36 pm

[6] I know what you mean. Yankee legends are passing, Steinbrenner is in the twilight of his life, they play in a new stadium... Things seem so different from only 5-10 years ago

10 seamus   ~  Jul 11, 2010 12:54 pm

RIP Mr. Sheppard. Others will say the rest more eloquently than me. But you will be missed.

11 Evil Empire   ~  Jul 11, 2010 12:59 pm

Rest in Peace, Mr. Sheppard.

12 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 11, 2010 1:02 pm

This makes me sad. But nothing lasts forever.

RIP, Bob.

Got to meet the guy up in the press box, and was in awe.

For my generation, the classic Sheppard intonation has always been "Deh-rek Gee-taaaah."

But I always loved knowing this was not the first Jeter he had introduced thusly, as I had listened to him introduce Gary Jeter with the same solemnity for many years at Giants Stadium.

It was fascinating, though, that it only took on its full profundity when #2 came along.

13 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  Jul 11, 2010 1:05 pm

:((

So sad to hear.

We were just there a couple weeks ago and it was really hard for me to listen to this new generic guy announcer. Made me both sad and grateful to have grown up with the voice of god.

Bob Sheppard, requiescat in pace.

14 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 11, 2010 1:06 pm

Actually, I should tack on an R at the end of Jeter, as Bob was always precise, despite being so distinctive. Heck, I can't do the pronunciation justice. However he said it, I don't know that anyone else on earth could say it that way.

15 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 11, 2010 1:07 pm

[6] In many ways, the passing of Sheppard is another reminder that all of our youths have passed. Speaking for myself, the Yankees and baseball are my only real connections to being a kid, which is probably why I obsess about them so much.

For all his accomplishments as Yankees owner, I think one thing George Steinbrenner deserves most credit for is turning the Yankees from U.S. Steel into a family business, albeit a dysfunctional one at times. Not only did the Yankee family include a litany of both loyal and prodigal players, managers and executives, but also a variety of support staff that transformed mundane roles into iconic figures. From Eddie Layton to Robert Merrill to the Scooter to Bob Sheppard, the Yankees had a variety of figures who weren’t just employees, but family. As each one passes, the family dwindles. In addition to Steinbrenner, there is also Geno, whose own mortality was brought to the forefront this season, but otherwise, the family tree is growing more sparse. As that happens, the Yankees seem to be transitioning back into the corporate structure that existed from the days of Ruppert and Jacob through CBS. Is that a bad thing? Probably not on the field, but off it, maybe.

16 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 11, 2010 1:08 pm

I was there for Bob Sheppard Day, also, and it was awesome.

17 NYYfan22   ~  Jul 11, 2010 1:13 pm

As if Bob Sheppard's voice isn't poignant enough.. The thematic music from Rudy. Goddamn, that'll choke me up every time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj434vCtNRw

18 Simone   ~  Jul 11, 2010 1:22 pm

RIP, Bob.

19 Evil Empire   ~  Jul 11, 2010 1:36 pm

[15] well put, William.

20 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  Jul 11, 2010 6:54 pm

[6][15] Agreed..I'll never forget being a kid at the Stadium, hearing his voice on the PA and just thinking I was in the most important place in the world..when Scooter died that was the worst for me though, really felt old for the first time..

21 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 11, 2010 9:12 pm

(this was also posted on the next thread, but I wanted to share with Alex and Banterites. I really feel sadly touched thinking about Mr. Sheppard's death)

I hoped that Mr. Sheppard would have been able to announce at least one time in the New Yankee Stadium, just to anoint the building with his grace.

We will never forget what he brought to the experience of attending a Yankee game (and Giants too). His type of NY accent is fading away, but I remember as a kid many people spoke in that silk stocking, blue blood, east side sort of way. Think of the sound of a recorded FDR speech, or a tape of Mayor Lindsey speaking.

Mr. Sheppard had the accent with the pipes of a professional announcer. He also put out that noble vibe, but with an edge of kindness. Never met him, but he must of had a great, long fulfilling life. I am profoundly saddened by this news, no one lives forever, but i thought maybe he could.

RIP

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"This ain't football. We do this every day."
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