Fastball

Here's What John Sterling, WFAN Had to Say About His Retirement

On Monday, longtime New York Yankees' broadcaster John Sterling announced his retirement after 36 years as the voice of the team. Here's what Sterling, and his radio employer at WFAN had to say after the announcement.
Brady Farkas|
Yankees' legendary broadcaster John Sterling Syndication Northjersey
Yankees' legendary broadcaster John Sterling Syndication Northjersey | Bob Karp/Staff Photographer / USA TODAY

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New York Yankees

On Monday, longtime New York Yankees' radio broadcaster John Sterling announced his retirement, ending his run as the voice of the team after 36 years. He called more than 5,400 regular season games and more than 200 postseason games. There will be a pregame ceremony on Saturday to recognize his career.

In the wake of the announcement, here is what the team had to say about Sterling's decision on social media:

“Fans find a certain comfort in the daily rhythms of baseball. Day in and day out, season after season, and city after city, John Sterling used his seat in the broadcast booth to bring Yankees fans the heartbeat of the game, employing an orotund voice and colorful personality that were distinctly, unmistakably his own. John informed and entertained, and he exemplified what it means to be a New Yorker with an unapologetic and boisterous style that exuded his passion for baseball, broadcasting and the New York Yankees.

“There is no shortage of adjectives to describe John and what he means to this organization and our millions of fans around the world. But what makes John a goliath of the sports broadcasting world was how sacred he held his role as voice of the Yankees. Showing up to perform virtually every single day since 1989, he was a pillar for Yankees fans who relied on the comfort and familiarity of his voice to be the soundtrack of their spring, summer and fall. Given the tremendous care he had for the team and his performance on the air, it’s not a stretch to believe that our fans live and die with every pitch because John Sterling did the same.

“We congratulate John on a remarkable and illustrious career. His contributions to this great game and to the Yankees franchise will echo long into the future.”

Furthermore, here is what his longtime bosses at WFAN Radio had to say:

"Yankees radio will never quite sound the same without the signature voice, wit and humor of John Sterling. To generations of Bronx Bombers fans, he was a beloved companion that when you heard John, you knew it was time for baseball. Though he never wore the pinstripes, except of course for his fine tailored suits, he was one of the most colorful personalities in Yankees history and in all of New York City radio. All of us at WFAN tip our cap and salute our colleague and friend on a truly iconic career.”

That ceremony on Saturday will coincide with a Yankees series against the Tampa Bay Rays. The team is on the road in Toronto right now taking on the Blue Jays.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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