I have not seen any actual confirmation. Other than the RGW, a reddit and a youtube. All seem to be rather trolling vs fact. Regardless, they run in pairs. Franklin being the most egregious. "Jeff Pack is a 69-year-old from Hermitage, Tennessee. Preacher Franklin is a 77-year-old from Smyrna, Tennessee. Franklin is the one you’re more likely to hear on broadcasts peppering at-bats with three short whistles followed by a series of claps."
Re: "Whistlers". 2 old men that have access to the cheap sports entertainment that is Vandy. Being an old man, I can appreciate that. Being azzholes, not so much.
Sorry to hear a whistler dude died. Vandy fans should close their mouths and turn their heads 90 degrees to the wind to whistle in tribute.