Shortly after it was learned Monday that legendary New York Yankees radio announcer John Sterling could step away from the booth as soon as this week, he and the Yankees confirmed his immediate retirement.

Sterling later explained his decision while speaking on the air with WFAN afternoon hosts Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber.

“I guess if I was smarter – and I’m not – if I was smarter, I would have done this March 1 or March 31,” Sterling acknowledged, per the Barrett Sports Media website and Ryan Chichester of Audacy. “During the winter, the Yankees – obviously you know we didn’t make the playoffs – we were free October 3, and October, November, December, January, February, March – I lived my life as happy as I’ve lived it, including listening to you guys all the time and watching all the games.” 

Sterling, 85, began calling Yankees games in 1989 but had embraced a lighter schedule in recent years that included Justin Shackil and Emmanuel Berbari working a majority of road matchups. Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media noted that Sterling was paired with fellow New York sports icon Suzyn Waldman for the last 23 years leading up to Monday’s news. 

Waldman discussed Sterling’s retirement on both the television and radio homes of the Yankees.