ECHOES AND ELOCUTION

<!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>

The New York Times ran an article the other day discussing the possible retirement of long-time Yankee Stadium announcer, Bob Sheppard. Given the gravity of this moment in Yankee history, a few blog words need to be said.

Sheppard, aged 98 years young, has been the Yankees’ announcer since April 17, 1951 when, the Times reports, he announced “a lineup that included Phil Rizzuto, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra.” It also bears noting, if only for old times’ sake, that in 1951 the Yankees were smack dab in the middle of their 5-championship run from 1949 to 1953. And since 1951, every Yankee player, mortal and otherwise, has been introduced by the purportedly flawless elocution of the great Bob Sheppard.

I say “purportedly flawless elocution” because, to be perfectly frank, I don’t know anyone who talks like Bob Sheppard. Sheppard, who was a speech professor for years at Columbia University, supposedly speaks absolutely perfect English. Anyone who has ever been to Yankee Stadium knows that Sheppard delivers each syllable of a player’s name with slow, almost painstakingly deliberate execution – doubtless the product of hours of endless practice in front of the mirror and the 1950s tape recorder he still uses at home. Sheppard’s voice stands out all the more when one considers he’s doing all this in the Bronx, a corner of the world in which the English language, in the areas in which it is still spoken, is regularly butchered beyond recognition by visitors and the local populace alike. Amidst the drunk and belligerent rabble that fills a stadium during a typical baseball game, Bob Sheppard’s voice rings out like a voice, not so much from the heavens, but almost from outer space.

Still, while basic forms of communication in the Greater New York–New Jersey area have continued to mutate and decline over the last 50 years, Bob Sheppard kept the spoken word at a premium at Yankee Stadium, leading by example, and even becoming a hallmark of Yankee Stadium itself – almost as if his voice were now a physical part of the Stadium itself, rather than just the echoes of a man doing a job better than anyone else in the game.

In that respect, it may be fitting that Mr. Sheppard not follow the Yankees into their new ballpark. If he can’t live forever, then what better age for a Yankee legend to retire at than 98? Ninety-eight, as we all know, is indicative of year 1998 – the year World Civilization peaked, and the year that baseball saw the greatest team in its history go 125-50. Before Mr. Sheppard retires and merges with the Infinite, the Yankees need to give him a baseball number so they can retire it. I can’t think of a more appropriate number for this great legend than the number 98.

View gormanb's Profile      Subscribe via RSS