Legendary Yankees radio voice John Sterling plans to hold a news conference Friday to announce his plans for his future, he said. Athleticism.
Yankees and WFAN officials expect him to retire due to health concerns, according to people with direct knowledge of the situation. The team and station left it up to Sterling, giving him room to change his mind.
“We’re going to have a press conference to get it all done on Friday,” Sterling said. Sterling has refused to confirm he will retire and has been reluctant to do so. He is not expected to call a game until Friday in the Bronx against the Tampa Bay Rays. He had already reduced the number of road games he plays this year.
If Sterling retires, it should take effect immediately. WFAN would replace Sterling with Justin Shackil, 37, and Emmanuel Berbari, 24, who together are 24 years younger than Sterling. The two are already expected to call the majority of road games this season along with Suzyn Waldman.
Sterling, 85, was the soundtrack to the Derek Jeter-led Yankees’ title run from 1996 to 2000, when the franchise won four World Series in five years. He also made that call when the Yankees won the World Series in 2009, a team led by CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez. Sterling, who began calling the Yankees games in 1989, punctuated the team’s victories with “Thuuuuuu-uggh Yankees win!”
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Inside the stand with Yankees legend John Sterling for his 36th home opener: ‘I’m close to the end’
His unique home calls live on in Yankee lore with memorable calls including “Bern, baby, Bern!” » for Bernie Williams and “A thrilla from Godzilla” for Hideki Matsui.
Although Sterling was never known for the game’s most accurate call, he was a broadcast version of Lou Gehrig, calling 5,060 consecutive games over 30 years. In the first of his nearly 36 seasons, Sterling missed two games due to the death of his sister. He was called up for every other match until July 4, 2019, when illness caused him to miss a series.
Sterling broadcast for the Atlanta Braves and Hawks before becoming the voice of the Yankees. He used his rhythmic nickname style for Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, saying, “Dominique, manifique!”
But he will be best remembered for his years with the Yankees and his uniqueness on and off the air.
Even on the radio, Sterling wore a suit to every game he called. Although resistant to technology, his voicemail on his cell phone greeted callers with: “Hello, congratulations, you have reached…”
He developed a strong bond with a large portion of Yankees fans, many of whom grew from nursery to adulthood knowing him only as the radio voice of their team. On Friday, Sterling plans to say whether his legendary run has come to an end.
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(Photo: Bob Karp / Photographer / USA Today Network)