RIP Freddy "Sez"

NY DAILY NEWS - Yankee Stadium fixture Freddy (The Fan) Schuman, who banged his trusty metal frying pan to rally Bombers fans for over two decades, has died.

The 85-year-old superbooster died Sunday afternoon at an undisclosed Manhattan hospital after suffering a heart attack Friday, said longtime friend Chuck Frantz, president of the Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club.

First Bob Sheppard, then George Steinbrenner, and yesterday the legendary Freddy.  

I can't tell you exactly when I first met Freddy at the Stadium and hit his legendary frying pan with a spoon, but I'm quite sure I was about 10, and it certainly wasn't the last time I'd do that in a couple hundred visits to the old Stadium and the new one across the street.  

Freddy was just one of those unique characters in the Bronx, and along with beer vendor Cousin Brewski ("who's ready to catch a buzz from the Cuz") is one of my oldest memories of going to Yankee games.  Even watching games on TV you could tell when Freddy was walking around by the periodic clank you'd hear in the background.

Freddy "Sez" - beat the crap out of Cliff Lee tonight.