'How lucky can you be?' Yankees honor John Sterling

NEW YORK – “How lucky can you be?’’

At a very early age, captivated by the resonant voice of a radio announcer, John Sterling knew he’d follow a career in broadcasting.

“This is all he ever wanted to do,’’ Suzyn Waldman said of her longtime play-by-play partner, the Voice of the Yankees, and pause on that for a moment.

How many future baseball announcers will be connected to their teams like Sterling, or Vin Scully, Harry Caray, Red Barber, Mel Allen, Russ Hodges, Phil Rizzuto, Bob Murphy, Bob Uecker – such distinct voices and instantly recognizable personalities?

In his unique way, Sterling carved a legendary broadcast career remembered best by his 36-year run calling Yankees games.

He felt lucky to follow a dream of being on the air, lucky to land the Yankees’ gig, lucky to be recognized by the Yankees and their legion of fans Saturday, as he bid farewell to the best job he’d ever imagined.

Lucky, too, to retire as he chose.

“The games are easy,’’ said Sterling, 85, before the Tampa Bay Rays' 2-0, 10-inning win against the Yanks. “I just don’t have the strength and the stamina.’’

Though he’d significantly cut back on his travel schedule, the opening road trip to Houston and Phoenix brought Sterling to the point where he didn’t want the daily grind, home or away.

And that daily grind, from game to game, season to season, sport to sport, was all he’d known for most of his 65 years in broadcasting.

The Yankees captured that with one of their gifts on John Sterling Day, a personalized pinstriped uniform with “5631’’ on the back, his number of Yankees games broadcast since 1989.

Tino Martinez presented him with sterling silver cufflinks, Waldman and Michael Kay, his radio broadcast partner for 10 years, gave him an engraved silver mic, and the Yankees players emerged from the dugout, hauling out an 83-inch TV set for his Edgewater apartment.

Derek Jeter, Paul O’Neill and Bernie Williams, from Sterling’s favorite Yankees team, the 1996 world champs, made video tribute and Joe Torre called on his way to the ballpark.

Since announcing his retirement, “What have I done all week? Answer the phone,’’ Sterling quipped.

With his family present, Sterling heard Waldman introduce him one last time as the “Voice of the Yankees’’ to the crowd before his short speech.

Later, the bleacher fans would include “Johhhhn Ster-ling!’’ again in their roll call and they played Sinatra’s “My Way’’ as he left the field, wavig to the crowd.

They’ll replay his famous, personalized home run calls on highlight reels forever, and maybe his signature “Thuuuuuh Yankees win!’’ will be blared through the speakers after home victories.

Sterling ought to be in the broadcast wing of baseball’s Hall of Fame, and there should be a plaque someday soon for him in Monument Park.

If the latter ever occurs at Yankee Stadium, well, Sterling said he wouldn’t say no.

Right now, there are more pressing things; people to thank, friends to catch up with, dinners to attend, baseball and NBA and NHL playoff games to watch.

“I’m a very busy person,’’ said Sterling, and as he reminded us again, among the luckiest.

“It was easy,’’ he said. “I could always open my mouth and talk.’’

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: John Sterling honored by NY Yankees