Sherm Feller | |
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| Born | (1918-07-29)July 29, 1918 |
| Died | January 27, 1994(1994-01-27) (aged 75) |
| Occupation(s) | Radio personality,composer |
| Spouse | Judy Valentine |
Sherman Feller (July 29, 1918 – January 27, 1994) was an American musical composer and radio personality. He was the public address announcer for theBoston Red Sox atFenway Park for 26 years.
Feller was born to Harry and Fannie Feller, both Russian immigrants, inBrockton, Massachusetts. Sherman and his sister were raised in theRoxbury section ofBoston, then a predominantlyJewish neighborhood. While census data identified his father as a stitcher in a shoe factory, Feller's father also served as a cantor in a synagogue.[1] Feller graduated fromRoxbury Memorial High School and then attended Suffolk College (todaySuffolk University), where he began to study law, but left before graduating.[2]
Feller decided he wanted to work in radio, beginning inManchester, New Hampshire at WMUR (nowWGIR). His first radio job in greater Boston was in Lowell, where he was hired byWLLH in late 1941.[3] It was there that he met vocalistJudy Valentine, whom he married in 1945. By this time, Feller was not only known as an announcer, but he had begun writing songs, several of which would be sung by Valentine.[4] The duo became known on air as "A Feller and His Girl." By 1948, Feller was on the air in Boston at stationWEEI, where he became well known as host of "Club Midnight," and also wrote a music column for theBoston American newspaper[5] Some sources say he was the first Boston announcer to do a call-in talk show,[1] although at that time it was not possible to put callers on the air;[citation needed] instead, announcers would repeat or paraphrase what callers had said. Among the other stations where Feller worked wereWLAW inLawrence, beginning in August 1952, where he did a dance music and interview program. He was also the host of a live program from the station's Boston studio.[6]
After WLAW left the air in the summer of 1953, Feller moved toWVDA in Boston, where he continued to write songs and work as an announcer, frequently interviewing celebrities. Among the famous performers he knew and counted as friends wereFrank Sinatra,Nat King Cole andTommy Dorsey.[1]
While Feller would later become known for his work with the Red Sox, he was a prolific songwriter, credited with writing or cowriting more than 1,000 songs. Among his pop hits were "Snow Snow Beautiful Snow," recorded byFred Waring; "Francesca," named for his mother and recorded byArthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops; "She Was Five and He Was Ten," a hit for theMills Brothers; and "It's Easter Time," recorded byVaughn Monroe.[2] In theTop 40 era, he became known for a hit he supposedly co-wrote with Tom Jameson in 1958, "Summertime Summertime" byThe Jamies. He did not co-write "Summertime, Summertime", as is commonly thought, but took co-writing credit, half of the songwriting royalties, and the publishing rights, as was common practice by managers at the time. Tom Jameson was the sole writer/arranger of "Summertime, Summertime."[7][8] In addition, Feller composed numerous orchestral works including "Ode to JFK".[9] After becoming the public address announcer for the Red Sox, Feller continued to host abig band-oriented radio program on stationWROL from 1970 until 1985.[citation needed]
Feller served as the Fenway Park public address announcer for 26 years from 1967 until just before his death in early 1994.[2] Feller was known throughout baseball for his distinct voice, which was described as slow with a gravely, measured cadence.[7] Feller attributed his unique sound to the fact that he spoke without his dentures while calling a game. He was also known for keeping his announcements simple, typically saying the batter's uniform number, full name, position and last name when the batter would step up to the plate, such as "Number 26, Wade Boggs. Third base, Boggs." Feller was also known to generations of Red Sox fans for beginning each Red Sox home game with, "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Fenway Park."[10] Even long after Feller's death, games broadcast onNESN begin with a sound clip of Feller making this announcement.
Feller was also closely associated with Fenway Park organistJohn Kiley during his public address announcing career.[11]
Feller was known to be a particular favorite of currentESPNbaseball broadcasterJon Miller who, while serving as theBaltimore Orioles' broadcaster, often impersonated Feller, both on-air and over the Fenway Park public address system.[12]
Feller married singer and actressJudy Valentine in 1945, and took an active role in promoting and managing her career. Their marriage ended in divorce, and Judy subsequently remarried.[13] He died suddenly at his home inStoughton, Massachusetts of heart disease on January 27, 1994, at the age of 75.[2]
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