Longtime New York Yankees radio play-by-play broadcasters John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman became synonymous with Yankees baseball over the course of the two decades of work they did together. And on Saturday, the inseparable duo were honored together at the 100th annual New York Baseball Writers’ Dinner for all of their great work over the years.
Sterling of course put a bow on his illustrious career by calling the entirety of the Yankees’ postseason run this past season after previously retiring in the middle of the 2024 season.
Waldman will move forward in 2025 alongside Sterling’s replacement, longtime Seattle Mariners broadcaster Dave Sims. But not before she and Sterling were awarded the “Long & Meritorious Service” award at Saturday’s dinner.
Sterling accepted the award on their behalf from Waldman before briefly discussing his illustrious career and how he always knew that he would be on air.
“Thank you Suzyn,” said Sterling in a video shared by Foul Territory on X. “You know, this award that I don’t deserve is a Long and Meritorious Award for my lifetime contributions to baseball. Actually, I should have given baseball the award. When I was a kid, seven years old, I knew what I was going to do. I was going on the air. I never dreamt I would get the Yankee job. And I had a pretty good career going when in 1989 out of the blue I got the Yankee job. By far the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.
“Here it is 36 years later. 20 years with Suzyn Waldman. A woman that I obviously love and admire. Here is another date, February 1st, 1960. Were any of you born then? That was my first day on the air. When February 1st comes up in a few days, it’ll be 65 years on the air doing something that I have wanted to do all my life. How lucky am I!”
John Sterling accepts the Long & Meritorious Award! pic.twitter.com/QiSJ1x4VgL
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 26, 2025
Sterling is as beloved by the Yankees fanbase as any broadcaster has ever been by their respective team’s fanbase. So while it seems like Sterling is certainly done for good as a full-time broadcaster, don’t be shocked to see him as a guest in the Yankees booth at some point next season given how close he and Waldman seem to be.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.