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The radio voice of the Yankees, John Sterling, 81, will not be broadcasting on what was supposed to be Opening Day on Thursday. “This is the most unusual thing that has occurred in all of our lives,” Sterling told The Post. “There have been other scares before, but they weren’t worldwide. This is so important, …
The radio voice of the Yankees, John Sterling, 81, will not be broadcasting on what was supposed to be Opening Day on Thursday.
“This is the most unusual thing that has occurred in all of our lives,” Sterling told The Post. “There have been other scares before, but they weren’t worldwide. This is so important, so vital to us as human beings because, if we don’t stop it, we will all die.”
Sterling, in only his way, had a little chuckle in his voice, as he made his bold declaration. His voice sounded strong and ready to go. While he wishes there was baseball sooner than later, he remains in good spirits.
Sterling lives his life with an Opening Day feel, as he is filled with hope and optimism, no matter the circumstance.
“I entertain myself very well,” Sterling said.
He wakes up in his Jersey condo late, around 10:30 or 11 a.m., and quickly goes to a nearby store to pick up fruit, coffee and the newspapers. He then has brunch, before cleaning up to “look presentable for myself.” He spends his afternoons speaking with friends from around the country and reading.
He just finished autobiographies of Elton John, Carrie Fisher and Elaine Stritch. He also is engrossed in Ken Follett’s “Place Called Freedom.”
He usually has some sort of game playing on one of his TVs. At night, he watches one of the cable news channels and old movies.
“I’m very good at DVR,” Sterling said. “That is the only mechanical thing I can do. I must have 50 terrific movies on one of my screens in the bedroom. Would I like to be doing games? Of course. Would I like to see people? Of course. Would I like to go to a restaurant? That’s the oddest thing, you literally can’t call up friends and say let’s meet at such and such restaurant.”
Sterling is hopeful baseball will return, but the man known for saying, “Thuuuuuuuuugh Yankees win,” has a message for everyone on how to beat the coronavirus.
“It is just a very odd time, but we are all doing the right thing,” Sterling said. “This is a world problem. This is really serious. This kills people, so we have to do what they suggest, be under quote-unquote house arrest and hope they find a vaccine for this or find a way to arrest it. In the meantime, I’ll keep doing it.”
Quick Clicks: Peyton Manning said no again to going in the broadcast booth with ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” There had been some feeling that he didn’t want to be a broadcaster with his brother Eli Manning in the league. With Eli retired, Peyton still said no, even with ESPN willing to pay him $10 million-plus and maybe would’ve gotten around Romo money at $18 million per. But, it seems pretty simple, Peyton does not have a passion to be in the booth. If ESPN had acquired Al Michaels from NBC, it may have had a chance. It is clear that if Peyton is ever going to go into the booth, it is going to need to be a perfect situation — and, even then, he may still decline. … As part of MLB’s celebration of Opening Day without Opening Day, it will show the 2003 ALCS Aaron Boone Game 7 on Facebook at 2:50 p.m. Meanwhile, on Twitter at 6 p.m., the Mets’ 2015 NLDS Game 5 win. Besides social media, FS1 and MLBN will have games. … Ex-ESPNer Gerry Matalon has a business in which he coaches individuals to work on all media platforms, including TV. He has many big name clients, including Von Miller. His 90-year-old dad, Izzy, an avid reader of The Post and this column, recently fell and broke his hip.
With the coronavirus restrictions, Gerry can’t visit his father at the Queens rehab facility. Our best wishes to Izzy, a man of fine taste.
Clicker Books: For baseball fans, Papa Clicker has read Jared Diamond’s “Swing Kings,” which goes deep into the finer details of hitting, looking at players such as Aaron Judge, J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner. It receives a 4.15 out of 5, as, like the intricacies of the swings, it is custom-made for a certain type of baseball reader.
