John Sterling, the theatrical, resonant radio voice of the New York Yankees whose personalized home run calls became part of the team’s identity, has died at age 87.
The Yankees and WFAN announced his passing on Monday.
Sterling, who underwent heart bypass surgery earlier this year, was treated at his home in Edgewater, New Jersey.
His career spanned decades and culminated with 36 seasons behind the Yankees’ microphone.
He retired in April 2024 after calling 5,420 regular season games and 211 postseason games, including a streak of 5,060 consecutive broadcasts from 1989 to 2019.
He returned briefly that fall to define the Yankees’ postseason run.
His exuberant style made him a fixture of baseball culture.
Fans eagerly awaited his signature home run nicknames: “Bern, baby, Bern!” for Bernie Williams, “It’s a Jeter toss!” to Derek Jeter, “It’s an A-bomb from A Rod!” for Alex Rodríguez, “El Giambino!” for Jason Giambi and “A Godzilla Thrill!” for Hideki Matsui.
Each call became a badge of honor for the players and a source of delight for the Yankee Stadium crowd.
Sterling’s voice carried through five Yankee championships and seven American League pennants.
He was known as much for his eccentric personality, quoting tunes from Broadway shows, Sinatra standards, and soap operas, as for his devotion to stripes.
“Game over. Yankees win. Thuuuuugh Yankees win,” Sterling bellowed after victories, a refrain that became inseparable from the team’s modern era.
Although critics sometimes questioned the accuracy of his decisions, Sterling dismissed his detractors with characteristic confidence.
“There will always be people who don’t like what you do. It’s like any art form,” he once said.
