In some respects, it’s been a rough year for the Yankees: longtime public-address announcer Bob Sheppard and owner George Steinbrenner passed away in July. And yesterday, Freddy “Sez” Schuman, one of the team’s most beloved and best-known fans, passed away at the age of 85.
Schuman was best known for his inspirational homemade signs—“ Freddy ‘sez’: Again & Again, Yankees prove they are great”—and the spoon and pan he carried around Yankee Stadium, making noise to rally his team.
Schuman died at Lenox Hill Hospital on Sunday afternoon after suffering a heart attack on Friday night, according to reports.
According to a close friend, Schuman has been attending Yankees games for the past 22 seasons. His last game was Game 3 of the American League Division Series, when the Yankees completed a sweep of the Minnesota Twins to advance into the American League Champinship Series, which continues tonight at the Stadium, with Andy Pettitte facing off against Cliff Lee.
Surely the Yankees will honor Schuman at some point before or during the game, and there will no doubt be many fans in attendance with posterboard signs urging the Yanks to win one for Freddy Sez.