NY Yankees Announcer To Retire

According to reports by MLB.com and the Associated Press, Bob Sheppard who is 99, is finally hanging up the PA mike at Yankee Stadium.

Sheppard who has been ill off and on for sometime told MLB.com “I have no plans of coming back, time has passed me by, I think. I had a good run for it. I enjoyed doing what I did. I don’t think, at my age, I’m going to suddenly regain the stamina that is really needed if you do the job and do it well.”

As Sheppard describes a day in his life when doing PA announcing, it includes the game itself, prep for the game plus the travel to and from Yankee Stadium to his home. As he says, “it makes a very long day”.

Sheppard has been the PA announcer for the New York Yankees since 1951 and Reggie Jackson once called Sheppard, “The Voice Of God”.

Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo told the AP the team has no comment nor announcement to make at this time.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bob 20 odd years ago when I would off and on take in a Yankees/Red Sox game using my Red Sox press pass. Bob was the ultimate gentleman and took the time to show me around the booth and broadcast area on my first visit.

I’m sure the NY Yankees will find a way to include Bob’s voice via tape during Yankee home games. He is a class act and one whose shoes the next Yankees PA announcer will be hard pressed to fill.