It has been five years since Bob Sheppard passed away at the age of 99. The Voice of God, a nickname bestowed upon him by Reggie Jackson, greeted fans, read the lineups and announced players coming to bat in over 4,500 games during his 56 years behind the microphone in the Bronx.
Sheppard first worked as a public address announcer for St. John’s football and basketball games after World War II. In the late 1940’s, he became the announcer for the Brooklyn Dodgers of the All-America Football Conference at historic Ebbets Field. The Yankees became interested in him in 1948 when a front office official heard him deliver a tribute to Babe Ruth at a Dodgers football game.