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April 16 (UPI) -- The New York Yankees said goodbye to John Sterling, announcing that their longtime radio broadcaster retired, effective immediately, and will be honored Saturday before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Sterling called more than 5,600 games, including 5,420 during the regular season and 211 playoff contests. That run included a stretch of 5,060 consecutive games, spanning from 1989 to 2019.
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"Fans find a certain comfort in the daily rhythms of baseball," the Yankees said in a news release. "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."
Sterling made his final broadcast during the Yankees' 8-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on April 7 in New York. The 85-year-old, known for his enthusiastic, personalized home run calls, started his broadcasting career in 1970 as the play-by-play announcer for the NBA's Baltimore Bullets.
"There is no shortage of adjectives to describe John and what he means to this organization and our millions of fans around the world," the Yankees said. "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."
In recent years, Sterling took on a reduced role, which included less travel, because of health concerns. His career included an earlier tenure calling Atlanta Braves games. Before missing a four-game series in 2019 due to illness, Sterling had not missed a single broadcast of any variety since 1981.
"I am a very blessed human being," Sterling said. "I have been able to do what I wanted, broadcasting for 64 years. As a little boy growing up in New York as a Yankees fan, I was able to broadcast the Yankees for 36 years. It's all to my benefit, and I leave very, very happy. I look forward to seeing everyone again on Saturday."
WFAN, which employed Sterling, said "Yankees radio will never quite sound the same," upon his departure.
"To generations of Bronx Bombers fans, he was a beloved companion that when you heard John, you knew it was time for baseball," WFAN said.
"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."
The first pitch for Saturday's game against the Rays is set for 1:05 p.m. EDT at Yankee Stadium. Sterling will visit the WFAN booth during the game and participate in the pregame ceremony.
