Bob Sheppard Has Retired. (Times) Won’t Be Jim Hall.

I doubt that the NY Times does April Fools jokes…I do find it odd that the “permalink” from the Times site says “Published April 2nd”
 
perhaps an exclusive hit the web early?  I’m grabbing the entire thing in case it disappears.  Sorry for sloppy formatting on this one.  (day job and working fast).
 
 
 
Voice of Yankee Stadium Retires

 

Published: April 1, 2009

The new Yankee Stadium will sound much different than the old one. Bob Sheppard, the public address announcer for the Yankees since 1951, has retired.

Richard Perry/ The New York Times

Bob Sheppard, who started as the Yankees’ announcer in 1951, hadn’t missed an opening day until 2006 when an injury kept him out of the announcer’s box.

 

Paul Doherty, a friend and agent who has represented Sheppard, said Sheppard’s son, Paul, told him about Sheppard’s plans on Wednesday morning.

 

“I think Bob just wants to take it easy and no longer have the pressure of, ‘Can he? Will he? Or won’t he?'” Doherty said in an e-mail message. “And, at 98, who can blame him?”

 

Doherty added that Sheppard remained active.

 

“I’m happy to say that Bob is still doing well enough to drive a car,” Doherty said. “He picked his son up at the train this past weekend.”

 

The last lineup that Sheppard announced was actually his first. Doherty said that, two months ago, he had Sheppard recreate the first lineup he did, on April 17, 1951. It included Phil Rizzuto, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra.

 

“Now on to him seeing his 100th birthday in a year and a half,” Doherty said.

 

The Yankees have not named a replacement for Sheppard, but it will not be Jim Hall, Sheppard’s long-time backup. Paul Olden will fill in for the two exhibition games at the Stadium this weekend.

 
 
and the permalink
 
 
Voice of Yankee Stadium Retires
Published: April 2, 2009
The new Yankee Stadium will sound much different than the old one. Bob Sheppard, the public address announcer since 1951, has retired.
 

Paul Doherty, a friend and agent who has represented Sheppard, said Sheppard’s son, Paul, told him about Sheppard’s plans on Wednesday morning.

 

“I think Bob just wants to take it easy and no longer have the pressure of, ‘Can he? Will he? Or won’t he?'” Doherty said in an e-mail message. “And, at 98, who can blame him?”

 

 

 

Sporting News now has it too…

Longtime Yankees PA announcer Sheppard retires

SportingNews.com – â€Ž4 minutes ago‎
Bob Sheppard, the 98-year-old public address announcer for the New York Yankees, has retired, the New York Times reports. Paul Doherty, a friend and agent
 
 
I feel bad for Jim Hall