John Sterling honored by Yankees for 36 seasons and 5,631 games as radio voice

NEW YORK (AP) — After 36 seasons as the voice of the New York Yankees, John Sterling needed just 90 seconds to say goodbye.

Sterling was honored with an on-field ceremony before Saturday’s 2-0, 10-inning loss to Tampa Bay, five days after the 85-year-old broadcaster announced his retirement 2 1/2 weeks into the season. Flanked by his family, Sterling received gifts that included a jersey with No. 5,631 for his games total, and then addressed the sellout crowd of 47,629.

“What I really want to do is to thank you and I’ll tell you why,” Sterling told the fans, who stood through the tribute. “Person after person, group after group, have come to me with kindness, respect and love, and how lucky can you be for people to celebrate what you do for a living? You know, I had to bring these people up and I had make money to do it. So you, the fans have been phenomenal to me over the past 36 years.”

Bleacher Creatures chanted his name during their first-inning Roll Call.

Sterling, who turns 86 on July 4, explained the unusual timing of his retirement during a news conference before the ceremony, saying it came down to: “I’m really tired, so I’m looking forward to not being on the air."

“I did it all wrong,” Sterling said. “I should have quit on March 1st or March 15th, but I decided I’d do one exhibition game, which is useless, and you well know, and when we went on that long trip, we went to Houston and Arizona, and, boy, I knew that was it. I didn’t want to work every day — and I told you how long I’ve been working. If you work 64 years and on your next birthday you’re going to be 86. I think it’s time.”

Sterling called 5,420 regular-season games, the last against Toronto on April 7, plus 211 postseason games. Sterling broadcast 5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 through July 2019 after starting with the Yankees as a pregame host. His partners included Jay Johnstone (1989-90), Joe Angel (1991), Michael Kay (1992-2001), Charley Steiner (2002-04) and Suzyn Waldman (since 2005).

Clips of his most memorable calls were played. Paul O’Neill, Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter gave video tributes, Tino Martinez presented sterling silver Yankees cufflinks and Kay and Waldman an engraved silver microphone. He was given a large-screen television, and Haley Swindal Steinbrenner, granddaughter of late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, handed Sterling the special jersey. The entire Yankees team surrounded Sterling for photos.

His baritone voice booming and frequently punching a fist or two in the air to add emphasis, Sterling explained the origin of his signature, exclamatory home run calls.

"It wasn’t meant that way. I just happened to do something for Bernie Williams. He hit a home run and I said, `Bern, baby, Bern!' And it kind of mushroomed from there. But it never was intended for every player, because, frankly, I’m not smart enough to do something for every player. But I did the best I could, and it’s amazing what started out as — became so big."

His favorites?

“I did say `A-bomb from A-Rod!' when he hit a home run and I did say: `Robbie Cano, don't you know,' and I think those were pretty good," Sterling recalled of his calls for Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Canó.

Sterling was born in 1938, grew up in New York and wanted to be a broadcaster since hearing “The Eddie Bracken Show” in the 1940s.

“I didn’t want to be Eddie Bracken. I wanted to be the guy who says: `Live from Hollywood!'” Sterling remembered. “And I knew that maybe a year or two later, but before puberty I knew I was going to be on the air. And it really helped me because I didn’t worry about school, because I knew what I was going to do. And it was a good thing because I was a terrible student.”

An infrequent visitor to clubhouses, Sterling began his news conference with a reference to Yankees manager Aaron Boone's daily briefings: “Is this where Boonie says: ‘He’s getting close?'” Sterling quipped.

Speaking earlier, Boone praised Sterling's “theatrical nature.”

“It’s like he gets in that chair and just shoots life through him,” Boone said. “He’s left quite a mark on this organization (and) the game of baseball.”

Sterling referenced Harry Caray and Bob Uecker, and he cited Mel Allen, Russ Hodges and Jim Karvellas as influences.

Frank Sinatra's recording of “My Way” was played as Sterling walked back stiffly to the Yankees dugout.

Sterling could wind up being honored in Monument Park, where plaques commemorate Mel Allen, a broadcaster from 1938-64, and Bob Sheppard, the public address announcer from 1951-2007.

"If they say to you we’re going to put a plaque up in Monument Park, you wouldn't say, `Oh, no, don’t do that,'" Sterling said. “Well, if it happens, it happens.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling answers questions from reporters during a baseball press conference before a retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling is presented with a television during retirement ceremony before a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024 (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling answers questions from reporters during a baseball press conference before a retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling answers questions from reporters during a baseball press conference before a retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling answers questions from reporters during a baseball press conference before a retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling answers questions from reporters during a baseball press conference before a retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling answers questions from reporters during a baseball press conference before a retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling acknowledges fans during his retirement ceremony before a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Yankees broadcasters John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman pose during a retirement ceremony for Sterling before a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling holds a jersey that has the number of games he broadcasted during a retirement ceremony before a baseball game agains the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium in New York, Saturday, April 20, 2024 (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

BERLIN (AP) — No Xabi, no problem.

Even without coach Xabi Alonso on the touchline, Bayer Leverkusen remained unbeaten Sunday with a 5-1 Bundesliga win over Eintracht Frankfurt that stretched its record run without defeat to 48 games in all competitions.

Alonso was suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards, but he watched from the stands as his Bundesliga champions showed no tiredness from Thursday’s 2-0 win at Roma in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals.

“It was another perspective,” Alonso said after seeing Czech forward Adam Hložek set up three goals. “We played very seriously. Of course the result is super, but the performance was very professional.”

Alonso rotated the team with just Edmond Tapsoba, Robert Andrich and Granit Xhaka keeping their places from Rome. Brazilian winger Arthur made his first start after recovering from a serious thigh injury.

Xhaka fired the visitors in front in the 12th minute with a brilliant strike from distance.

Hugo Ekitiké equalized, but that was as good as it got for Frankfurt with Omar Marmoush blazing over when he only had Leverkusen ’keeper Lukáš Hrádecký to beat.

Patrik Schick powered a header past Kevin Trapp before the break and Exequiel Palacios made it 3-1 with a penalty after it.

Substitute Jeremie Frimpong capped a brilliant team move with the fourth goal in the 77th, and Victor Boniface completed the scoring with another penalty in the 89th. It was Leverkusen's 82nd goal in the Bundesliga this season, a new club record.

Leverkusen hasn’t lost a game in any competition this season. Its 48-game unbeaten start is a record across Europe’s “big five” leagues.

UNION IN TROUBLE

Union Berlin, which played Real Madrid in the Champions League this season, edged closer to relegation with a 4-3 loss at home to fellow struggler Bochum.

Bochum defender Maximilian Wittek scored twice in a game for the first time, before Keven Schlotterbeck made it 3-0 in the 37th.

Union coach Nenad Bjelica reacted with three changes at the break, sending on Yorbe Vertessen, Brenden Aaronson and Chris Bedia.

Vertessen pulled one back in the 59th, three minutes before Bedia got another, only for Union's defense to leave Philipp Hofmann free to head the visitors’ fourth.

Aaronson did brilliantly to set up Benedict Hollerbach for Union’s third in the 74th, but the equalizer never came.

Union, which was only promoted to the Bundesliga in 2019, played in the Champions League this season after an unlikely fourth-place finish last year. Summer transfers did not have the desired effect and the team let long-time favorite coach Urs Fischer go in November.

Before kickoff Sunday, Union president Dirk Zingler denied reports that the club was set to dismiss Fischer's replacement, Bjelica, at the end of the season.

“Bjelica has our full support,” Zingler said. “The season we've played hasn't been a good one. That has nothing to do with Bjelica, but with the first half of the season. We didn't play well then. As a club, we didn't deliver.”

Bochum (33 points) moved three points ahead of Union, which was just a point ahead of Mainz (29) in the relegation playoff spot. Mainz drew at Heidenheim 1-1 in the late game.

Union visits second-from-bottom Cologne (24) next weekend in what will be a must-win game for the home team to avoid being relegated alongside last-place Darmstadt.

Two rounds remain.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso smiles during an interview ahead of the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso is seen during an interview ahead of the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's Robin Koch, Leverkusen's Patrik Schick and Frankfurt's goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, from left, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's Robert Andrich gestures during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. Left Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka who scored the first goal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's goalkeeper Kevin Trapp reacts during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. Left Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka who scored the first goal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's Niels Nkounkou, left, and Leverkusen's Nathan Tella challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's Patrik Schick, right, celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka celebrates his side's opening goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's Niels Nkounkou, left, and Leverkusen's Nathan Tella challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's Patrik Schick, right, celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. Left Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka who scored the first goal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen players celebrate their side's third goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Philipp Hofmann, centre, of VfL Bochum celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's fourth goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Bochum, at the An der Alten Forsterei stadium in Berlin, Germany, Sunday May 5, 2024. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

Philipp Hofmann of VfL Bochum celebrates after scoring their side's fourth goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Bochum, at the An der Alten Forsterei stadium in Berlin, Germany, Sunday May 5, 2024. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)