At Bob Sheppard's last Mass Thursday, his friends and family were reminded what it was like to be in the presence of "a good and decent man" who, as a husband, father, athlete, wartime naval officer, teacher and public address announcer, lived about the most perfect life, for 99 years, as anyone God ever placed on this Earth.Any player that wasn't a Yankees while Sheppard was still doing games gets a pass, but what about Joe Girardi, A-Rod, Mariano, Pettitte, Posada, Reggie Jackson, and Derek Jeter, the guy who still comes up to a recording of Sheppard announcing his name? Where were they?
It was just too bad that not a single player whose name Sheppard introduced, ever so properly and eloquently, over 57 years as the Yankees' P.A. announcer, was among those paying their final respects to the "Voice of God." Even if one player - certainly one among the former players employed by the team for this very purpose - would have shown up, it would have provided the touch of class George Steinbrenner always made sure to exhibit in these circumstances.
Their All-Star break was more important than paying their respects to a Yankee icon?
Good for Brain Cashman, who was there delivered the eulogy, but for an organization that usually does these sorts of things the right way, the players failed this time around.
