Robert Chou
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Legendary Yankees radio voice John Sterling plans to hold a news conference later this week to announce plans for his future, he said. The Athletic.
There is an expectation among the Yankees and WFAN officials that he will retire due to health issues, according to people with direct knowledge of the situation. The team and the station left it in Sterling’s hands, leaving the possibility that he could change his mind.
“We’re going to have a press conference to get everything done,” Sterling said. Sterling refused to confirm that he will retire and has been reluctant to do so. He is not scheduled to call a game until Friday in the Bronx against the Tampa Bay Rays. He had already reduced the number of away games he plays this year.
If Sterling follows through with his retirement, it is expected to take effect immediately. WFAN would replace Sterling with Justin Shackil, 37, and Emmanuel Berbari, 24, who are combined 24 years younger than Sterling. The two are already scheduled to call the majority of road games this season with Suzyn Waldman.
Sterling, 85, was the soundtrack to the Yankees’ title run led by Derek Jeter from 1996 to 2000, when the franchise won four World Series in five years. He also made the call when the Yankees won the World Series in 2009, a team led by CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez. Sterling, who began calling Yankee games in 1989, highlighted the team’s victories with “Thuuuuuu-uggh, the Yankees win!”
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His unique home run calls live on in Yankee tradition with memorable calls including “Bern, baby, Bern!” for Bernie Williams and “A thrill from Godzilla” for Hideki Matsui.
While Sterling has never been known for the game’s most accurate call, he was a television version of Lou Gehrig, calling 5,060 consecutive games over 30 years. During 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 game until July 4, 2019, when an 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 style of rhythmic nickname for Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, saying, “Dominique, manifique!”
But he will be remembered most 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. While he is averse to technology, his cell phone voicemail greeted callers with “Hello, congratulations, you’ve reached…”
He developed a strong bond with much of the Yankees fan base, many of whom have passed from crib to adulthood and only know him as the radio voice of their team. On Friday, Sterling plans to say whether his legendary career is over.
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(Photo: Bob Karp / Staff Photographer / USA Today Network)
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