RSS 2.0 FeedJuly 15, 2010, Freeport-Baldwin Leader
Bob Sheppard dead at 99
Voice of the Yankees, Bob Sheppard, lived in Baldwin.
Robert Leo Sheppard, also known as Bob Sheppard of Baldwin, died on Sunday, July 11 at his home. He was 99 years old.
Mr. Sheppard, known to millions of Yankees fans as the “voice of God,” was the longtime announcer of the Bronx Bombers. But to his neighbors in Baldwin he was simply a gracious man, devoted to his family, his church, his community and to his profession as a speech teacher.
The Leader’s former Baldwin editor, Joan Delaney, first met Bob Sheppard and his wife Mary years ago when they would ride their bicycles over to Lakeside Place where the Delaneys and Mary’s parents, Estelle and Bob Hoffman, lived. “He never viewed himself as a celebrity,” said Joan, who then recounted the time when “he and Mary came to visit the Hoffmans.
It had snowed. He playfully threw a snowball at my daughter, who felt comfortable enough to throw a snowball back at him.” Bob Sheppard was a familiar face in the community. Each morning he and his wife attended mass at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church. They also served as lectors, assigned to read scriptural passages during mass.
“He loved when the children from St. Christopher’s school would serve as lectors. I would watch his face. It would light up with delight when a child was particularly articulate,” said Mrs. Delaney.
“After mass he would go over and talk with the child, who didn’t know who he was. He was such a gracious man.” He also freely gave of his time to the community. He lent his voice as announcer for the BCADA Baseball fundraiser a few years ago, and Mrs. Delaney recalls how when the high school performed “Damn Yankees” it was Bob Sheppard’s voice that opened the evening.
“Welcome to Baldwin Senior High School,” he said in that very elegant and sonorous voice of his. “He didn’t receive any credit for it,” explained Mrs. Delaney. “I remember sitting there and people would say ‘Who is that? The voice is so familiar.’”
Bob Sheppard also read the Declaration of Independence at a Fourth of July celebration that used to take place on Central Avenue and he was a featured speaker at the Baldwin Historical Society.
If there was any important event in Baldwin, Bob Sheppard was there. “He was such an elegant man, very proper and old school. He was the quintessential gentleman,” said Mrs. Delaney. Mr. Sheppard’s “day job” was as a speech teacher who also loved literature, especially poetry. He graduated from St. John’s University in 1932 and received a Master’s degree from Columbia University in 1933, according to Legacy.com.
“His pacing was so unique, his enunciation correct and distinctive,” said Mrs Delaney. “For example, he would say God BLESS America.” “Bob Sheppard was a great member of the Yankees family and his death leaves a lasting silence,” said George Steinbrenner, Yankee owner, in a prepared statement made shortly before his own death on Tuesday, July 13.
Mr. Sheppard began announcing for the Yankees in April of 1951. According to the Boston Globe, the line-up that first day included Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Johnny Mize and Phil Rizzuto of the Yankees along with Bobby Doerr, Lou Boudreau and Ted Williams of the Red Sox.
Mr. Sheppard is survived by his wife Mary, sons Paul and Christopher, daughters Barbara and Mary, grandchildren and great grandchildren.