Veteran New York Yankees radio announcer John Sterling found himself unexpectedly in the line of fire during Saturday night's game against the Boston Red Sox. In the bottom of the ninth, with the Yankees clinging to a 3-1 lead, Justin Turner hit a foul ball that sailed directly into the broadcast booth, striking Sterling.
The 84-year-old broadcaster's surprised reaction, "Ow! Ow! Ow! It really hit me. I didn’t know it was coming back that far," was caught on air. Despite the impact, which reportedly caused some bleeding near his left eyebrow, Sterling maintained his composure and continued calling the game. He even described Turner's game-ending groundout, securing the Yankees' 38th victory of the season and their first against their Boston rivals this year.
Sterling, who had recently returned to the booth after a 23-game absence due to bronchitis and attending his triplets' graduation, assured everyone he wouldn't be sidelined by the incident. "I’m not going on the IL," he quipped to The Athletic. He is expected to be back in the booth for Sunday night's game.
