31 Facts About Bob Sheppard

Robert Leo Sheppard was the long-time public address announcer for numerous New York area college and professional sports teams, in particular the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and the New York Giants of the National Football League.

Bob Sheppard announced more than 4,500 Yankees baseball games over a period of 56 years, including 22 pennant-winning seasons and 13 World Series championships; he called 121 consecutive postseason contests, 62 games in 22 World Series, and six no-hitters, including three perfect games.

Bob Sheppard was the in-house voice for New York Giants football games for more than a half-century, encompassing nine conference championships, three NFL championships, and the game often called "the greatest ever played", the classic 1958 championship loss to Baltimore.

Bob Sheppard was secretive about his age throughout his life, but according to New York voter records he was born October 20,1910, in Richmond Hill, Queens, New York City.

Bob Sheppard graduated from Saint John's Preparatory School in Astoria, Queens in 1928, and attended St John's University on an athletic scholarship, where he earned seven varsity letters from 1928 to 1932; three in baseball as the starting first baseman, and four in football as the left-handed starting quarterback.

Bob Sheppard began his career playing semiprofessional football on Long Island with the Valley Stream Red Riders and the Hempstead Monitors, earning $25 a game, and teaching speech at Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood, Queens, New York.

Bob Sheppard served as speech and debate coach for Sacred Heart Academy's Forensic Team in Hempstead, New York.

Bob Sheppard's multiple teaching jobs overlapped more than 25 years into his announcing career, and he always maintained that his academic work was far more important than his accomplishments as an announcer.

Bob Sheppard came to the attention of the Yankees when a front-office official heard him deliver a tribute to Babe Ruth at a Dodgers football game in 1948.

Bob Sheppard was offered the Yankees announcing job, but did not accept it until three years later when the Yankees agreed to hire an understudy, so that his duties with the team would not interfere with his teaching responsibilities.

Bob Sheppard's distinctive announcing style became an integral component of the Yankee Stadium experience.

Bob Sheppard took great pride in pronouncing every name correctly, and made certain to check directly with a visiting player if he had any doubt on the correct or preferred pronunciation.

Bob Sheppard admitted that early in his career, whenever the Senators were in town he particularly feared tripping over Wayne Terwilliger's name.

Bob Sheppard, who had not yet met Posada, announced the substitution, Posada's major league debut, in extra innings of one of the greatest games in Division Series history, with an "o" at the end of his last name.

Bob Sheppard retired from his position with the Giants, a 50-year handshake agreement with Giants owner Wellington Mara, at the end of the 2005 season, when the commute from his home on Long Island to East Rutherford, New Jersey became too strenuous.

Bob Sheppard was succeeded by his long-time understudy, former debate student, and colleague in the Speech Department at St John's University, Jim Hall.

At age 95, health issues began to take their toll: In 2006, Bob Sheppard missed his first Yankees home opener since 1951 after injuring his hip.

Bob Sheppard was back in time for the next homestand, but it marked the beginning of a slow but inexorable deterioration of his health over the next two seasons.

Bob Sheppard reluctantly admitted that he lacked sufficient strength to call the final game at the original ballpark on September 21,2008.

Two weeks after his 99th birthday in 2009, the day after the Yankees defeated Philadelphia to win their 27th World Series, Bob Sheppard officially announced his retirement as the Yankees' public address announcer.

Bob Sheppard died at his home in Baldwin, New York, on July 11,2010, three months and nine days shy of his 100th birthday, and two days before the death of owner George Steinbrenner.

In 2000, during his 50th year with the Yankees, Bob Sheppard donated the microphone he used for a half-century of Yankee Stadium announcements to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

On September 26,2013, a recording of Bob Sheppard's introduction, followed by Metallica's Enter Sandman, were played as Mariano Rivera stepped to the mound at Yankee Stadium for the final time.

Bob Sheppard's voice has continued to be used for the opening of the Yankees' annual Old Timers' Day ceremonies.

All Yankees games broadcast on YES Network begin with a recording of Bob Sheppard saying "Your attention please, Ladies and Gentlemen, you are watching YES, the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network".

Bob Sheppard was elected to the St John's University Sports Hall of Fame, the Long Island Sports Hall of Fame, and the New York Sports Hall of Fame.

Bob Sheppard was awarded honorary doctorates from St John's University and Fordham University, and in 2007, received St John's' Medal of Honor, the highest award that the university can confer on a graduate.

In 1998, Sheppard was presented with the prestigious William J Slocum "Long and Meritorious Service" Award by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, and the "Pride of the Yankees" award by the Yankees organization.

Bob Sheppard is one of only two people ever awarded both a World Series ring and a Super Bowl ring.

Bob Sheppard had two sons, Paul and Chris; and two daughters, Barbara and Mary; four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Bob Sheppard referred to [his wife] Mary as 'my archangel,' meaning she saved his life, day by day.