Sheppard: retirement "not official"

Responding to published reports implying that he is likely to retire after a half-century behind the microphone as public address announcer for the New York Yankees, Bob Sheppard told the Herald that nothing has been made official yet.

Reached at their Baldwin home Friday morning, Sheppard's wife, Mary, said she and her husband were frustrated about the perception in the news media that he is retiring -- which includes a report on mlb.com stating that Sheppard will "officially cede control of his microphone to a successor."

"[Bob] was speaking to somebody recently and had told him that physically, he did not feel that he would be able to continue anytime soon ... he is building up his health right now," Mary said. "People have taken it as official but it hasn't been officially stated. It is not official."

Sheppard has served as public address announcer for the Yankees since 1951. He stepped aside in late 2007 due to illness. Since that time, rumors have swirled in the media that he either retired or is close to announcing retirement.

A recording of Sheppard's voice is used for Yankee shortshop Derek Jeter's at-bats.