Thursday, November 26, 2009

Bob Sheppard, Voice of Yankee Stadium, retires.

When I was younger, I used to love going to games at Yankee Stadium. There I would see my baseball heroes win games, I would almost always go on a giveaway day, and it was a big thrill. There was a distinct feeling in the air at Yankee Stadium. People cheering, filling out the scorecard, the hot dogs and mustard, the tension of the game, the grandeur of the architecture, I just loved it. It was a part of my youth that was most defining and enjoyable.

Now, as I grow up, I find pieces of my youth slipping away with the inevitable march of time. The latest is Bob Sheppard. Mr. Sheppard was the public address announcer of Yankee Stadium. He started in 1951 and just announced that he does not plan to return to Yankee Stadium (he had taken the past couple of years off for health reasons, only doing pre-recorded stuff). He has announced the names of all the greats, from Joe DiMaggio through Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Phil Rizzutto, Mickey Mantle, Billy Martin, Elston Howard, Roger Maris, Roy White, Sparky Lyle, Graig Nettles, Chris Chambliss, Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson, Ron Guidry, Catfish Hunter, Goose Gossage, Dave Rhigetti, Dave Winfield, Don Mattingly, Steve Sax, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neil, David Cone, Andy Pettit, El Duque, Mariano Rivera, and countless more.

A professor of speech, his steady, mannered tones, announcing the number, position, and name of every player was as much a part of the Yankee Stadium Experience as the sunset over the upper deck, the echo of the cheering fans, and the playing of "New York, New York" after every game.

When Jerry Seinfeld was the guest announcer for a game, he did his best to imitate Mr. Sheppard. Legend has it that Bob would get very upset a Phil Rizzutto for such mangling of the English language as "he slud into second base."

He is 99 years old and was working at a job he obviously loved. how can you beat that?

Here is the news announcement on Major League Baseball's website.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Halloween, Movie Madness, New videos!

Hi Everybody! How was your Halloween? Someone told me that they loved Halloween because they don’t have to be the person they are. That made me realize that for some, the reason to love Halloween is that it gives you the license to be who you really are.

I had a good one, swordfighting on the rooftop of a private Steampunk party in Brooklyn Heights. But now it’s back to the “real world” (or as real as it ever gets with me)

This weekend I will be hosting yet another Captain Zorikh’s Movie Madness at Otto’s Shrunken Head. at 538 E. 14th St. in Manhattan. We have got perhaps the strongest program yet this time around. The films we have scheduled so far include:

The Phoenix Reign music video “Constantinople 1453 – On the Eve of the Fall”
“Ben Pickle – the Sweet Gherkin Cut” by Nic Beery
An episode of "Losers" by Zack Abramowitz.
A scene from "Redemption" by Captain Zorikh
A trailer for "The Resurrectionists" by Scott Teel

…with special surprises as well!

So come on down and enjoy free movies and fancy drinks with paer umbrellas, from 4 – 6 PM at the delightfully tacky yet unbrefined tiki bar/lounge, Otto’s Shrunken Head, 538 E. 14th ST, just a block and a half from the 1st avenue stop on the L train!

And finally…

I have posted up two new videos.

First, I have edited together a portion of my “Captain Marvel Culture” lecture at I-Con this past March, dressed it up with some rare Golden-Age comic book covers and historical photographs, and put it up on my Captain Marvel Culture YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/CaptainMarvelCulture

In this clip I explain the lawsuit the killed the original big Red Cheese in 1953. Please take a look and let me know what you think!

Next, I have a brief, new scene from “Redemption.” You can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bZs3itI6BQ It’s all about the elbows!

So watch the vids, and I will see you this Sunday at Otto’s

Captain Zorikh
Zorikh@juno.com
917-865-1214
http://www.captainzorikh.com
http://captainzorikhmedia.blogspot.com/
http://captainmarvelculture.blogspot.com/
http://czredemption.blogspot.com/
http://zorikh.blogspot.com/