Suzyn Waldman is as good as her word.
The longtime Yankees radio voice was scheduled to sing the national anthem prior to Friday's home opener against the Red Sox -- all because of a promise she made to new Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.
Waldman reportedly once vowed to Cole that she would flex the golden pipes for the anthem if he ever signed with the Bombers -- and sure enough it came to pass.
Among the Yankees’ pregame ceremonies before their home opener tonight: radio broadcaster Suzyn Waldman will sing the national anthem. She promised Gerrit Cole, long before he was a Yankee, she’d sing it if he signed with them. A promise is a promise.
— James Wagner (@ByJamesWagner)
July 31, 2020 But Waldman is no amateur vocalist, even aside from her decades in the booth both as a play-by-play voice of the Yanks.
The 73-year-old sports radio pioneer, one of the original regular voices on WFAN, was a stage performer long before she fielded calls from listeners or painted a verbal picture of the action on the diamond.
The Massachusetts native and one-time Red Sox fanatic even belted out the tune at Fenway Park prior to Game 7 of the 1986 AL Championship Series.
Suzyn Waldman is singing the National Anthem before tonight's Yankees home openerShe can really do it all pic.twitter.com/uE1OueHjMa
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks)
July 31, 2020 The Broadway flavor and occasional crooning has long been a feature of the Yankees booth, where Waldman and longtime partner John Sterling, best known for his unmistakable baritone voice, have been known to briefly break into showtunes.
Sterling, though, was due to miss the Red Sox series as he continues to mend from recently feeling unwell.
Former Yankees star pitcher CC Sabathia was slated to throw out the first pitch.
