Long-time Yankees Announcer John Sterling Has Died at 87
For 38 years his was the voice that Yankees fans faithfully heard. First Michael Kay and then Suzyn Waldman joined him in the announcer’s booth to call Yankee games. For the fans he was both engaging and entertaining with his broadcast style. During his career he called 5,426 regular seasons Yankees game and 225 postseason games between 1989 and his retirement in 2024. But now Yankees fans are in mourning as long-time Yankees announcer John Sterling has died at 87.
He had a unique way of calling games and Steve Gardner of USA Today compiled a list of some of his unique phrases:
- For Alex Rodriguez: “An A-bomb. From A-Rod!”
- Aaron Judge: “A Judgian blast!” or “All rise, here comes the Judge!”
- Giancarlo Stanton: “Giancarlo, non si puo stoparlo!”
- Gleyber Torres: “It’s Gleyber Day!”
- Curtis Granderson: “The Grandy Man can!”
- Hideki Matsui: “A thrilla from Godzilla!”
- Bernie Williams: “Bern, baby Bern!”
- Robinson Cano: “Robbie Cano, don’t ya know!”
Sterling thought of himself as a “blessed human being” for being able to fulfill his childhood dream of broadcasting on the radio for more than 64 years. “It’s your medium. You do what you want,” Sterling once said. “You have to paint the picture, which I love doing.” He left an enduring legacy which is why the Yankees issued the following statement:
“We are saddened by the passing of former New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling. Through his unique style and passionate play-by-play calls, Sterling endeared himself to generations of players and fans as radio voice of the Yankees from 1989 to 2024.
Long-time Yankees Announcer John Sterling Has Died at 87
The Yankees statement continued saying:
“His signature punctuation of Yankees victories included calling the final out of five World Series championships. Sterling’s seven-decade broadcasting career also included stints with the Atlanta Braves and Hawks, the New York Nets and Islanders, and the Baltimore Bullets. He was 87 years old.”
WFAN Sports Radio also paid tribute to Sterling on social media saying, “We are devastated to hear about the passing of John Sterling, a WFAN and Yankees radio icon whose voice was synonymous with an entire generation of Yankee fandom. Rest in peace, John”
Prior to joining the Yankees, Sterling was with Atlanta’s TBS and WSB Radio, where he called Hawks basketball (1981-89) and Braves games (1982-87). Then Sterling joined the Yankees broadcast team in 1989. Sterling’s final game was on Oct. 30, 2024, with the Dodgers triumphing over the Yankees in Game 5 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. When he retired from the organization, the Yankees said Sterling, “exemplified what it means to be a New Yorker with an unapologetic and boisterous style that exuded his passion for baseball, broadcasting and the New York Yankees.”
Rest in peace, John Sterling.
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