The first Yankee lineupm, Robert Leo "Bob" Sheppard

Sheppard first worked as a public address announcer for football games at St. John’s. He moved on to the Brooklyn Dodgers of the All-America Football Conference. His work was remembered by the Yankee front office, and he debuted as Yankee PA announcer on April 17, 1951, with the Yankees’ home opener, a win over the Boston Red Sox. In 1956, when the New York Giants football team moved into Yankee Stadium, he began announcing their games as well, staying with them for their move into Giants Stadium.

The first Yankee lineup Sheppard announced contained 5 future Hall of Famers: Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Johnny Mize, Yogi Berra, and Phil Rizzuto. The Yankees played the Boston Red Sox that day, so Sheppard also introduced Ted Williams and Lou Boudreau, for a total of seven future Hall of Famers. The first player he introduced was Dominic DiMaggio[5]. He was initially paid $15 per game or $17 for a doubleheader[6].

Sheppard is known for his distinctive announcing style, which has become a part of Yankee Stadium’s lore. He begins by saying, "Good afternoon (or Good evening)... ladies and gentlemen... and welcome... to Yankee Stadium." He has signaled in-game announcements for the Yankees and Giants by saying, "Your attention please, ladies and gentlemen."

He nearly always presents the performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "O, Canada," by saying, "Ladies and gentlemen... would you please rise... And now... to honor America... please join... (name of performer)... as he (or she, or they) sing(s)... our national anthem"... (and) O, Canada." In a similar manner, Sheppard begins the seventh inning stretch by saying, "Ladies and gentlemen... would you please rise... And now... please offer... a moment of silent prayer... for the service men and women... who are stationed around the globe... and especially remember... those who have lost their lives... defending our freedom...and our way of life." Then he introduces the performance of "God Bless America" (with each word enunciated), usually the 1938 recording of Kate Smith, but sometimes a live performance.

Before a player’s first at-bat of the game, Sheppard announces his position, his uniform number, his name, and his number again. Example: "Shortstop... Number 2... Derek... Jeter... Number 2." For each following at-bat, Sheppard announces the position and name: "The third baseman... Alex... Rodriguez," with the number being used for a pinch hitter.

Sheppard has frequently cited Mantle as one of his favorite names to announce, saying "Mickey Mantle says ’Everytime Bob Sheppard introduced me at Yankee Stadium, I got shivers up my spine.’ And I said to him, ’So did I.’"

On several occasions, particularly in the 1970s, as can be heard in rebroadcasts of championship games from that era shown on networks like ESPN Classic and the YES Network, Sheppard has had to remind fans not to go onto the field of play, or to throw things on the field, or else they will be subject to arrest and removal from the stadium. Such announcements have been less necessary in the years since, as cities have provided increased police protection for their stadiums.

During the 1985 season, the Yankees were in a tight race for the American League Eastern Division title with the Toronto Blue Jays. Before the first game of a key four-game series with the Jays that September, Sheppard introduced opera singer Robert Merrill, who often sang the National Anthem at Yankee games in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, who proceeded to sing "O, Canada" out of respect to the visiting Jays. Many Yankee fans booed the Canadian National Anthem. Before the next game, Sheppard reminded fans of how Canada was America’s ally in two world wars, a partner in NATO, and had helped get some of the American hostages out of Iran, and that their anthem should be respected and not booed. His reprimand was not heeded, and the fans booed the anthem again. The Yankees won the first game of that series but dropped the next three and lost the Division title.

Sheppard is also a poet of note, and read a poem he wrote in memory of Yankee catcher Thurman Munson before the team’s first game after Munson’s death, on August 3, 1979. Another poem served as a tribute to Roger Maris’ 61st home run in 1961. He has also read aloud, so that fans far away from the ceremony can hear, the inscriptions on the plaques the Yankees dedicate for their Monument Park, one of which now honors him.

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