Recalling Ted Williams Death, Announced At Yankee Stadium, 22 Years Ago Today

I happened to be at Yankee Stadium on another Friday July 5th, that in 2002 when the venerable and legendary Yankee Stadium public address announcer, Bob Sheppard,

certainly a diehard Yankees’ supporter, announced the death of a great Yankees’ rival player, Ted Williams.

Sheppard certainly spoke briefly, eloquently and in high praise of Williams, whose efforts, most times fell short in key games at Yankee Stadium, I suppose part of the lore of the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry.

That so over rated rivalry, (it is a good one but …,) resumes tonight as the Yankees and Red Sox open a 3 game series at Yankee Stadium, no longer on its hallowed ground.

I need not look, as surely the series will culminate, in yet another ESPN Sunday night game between the two teams.

Their emergence into this rivalry and the always Sunday night game has turned me off, however memories of Sheppard’s class, Williams’ hitting and such greats as Vic Raschi and David Ortiz continue to resonate in a quite positive way.

The legendary Bob Sheppard, who also was the public address announcer at New York Giants’ football games for many years, is pictured above.