John Sterling, the Yankees' Most Enduring Announcer, Dies at 87

John Sterling, the Yankees radio play-by-play voice for more than 35 years, died at 87 in Englewood, New Jersey, after complications following a heart attack. He called more Yankees games than any other announcer, including 5,420 regular-season games starting in 1989 and 211 postseason games. He retired abruptly early in the 2024 season, citing lack of stamina. Sterling worked exclusively on radio and often wore a suit and tie while delivering calls to an audience that could not see him. His style included colorful, sometimes wacky catchphrases and strong, biased excitement for Yankees wins, though he was also known for occasional mistakes on fly balls and balls hit toward outfield corners.

"John Sterling, the radio play-by-play voice of the Yankees for more than 35 years, who was best known for punctuating his home run calls with colorful if not wacky phrases like an A-bomb for A-Rod! (for Alex Rodriguez) and Robbie Cano, dontcha know! (for Robinson Cano), died on Monday in Englewood, N.J. He was 87."

"Starting in 1989, Mr. Sterling called 5,420 regular season 5,060 consecutively until his 81st birthday in 2019 and 211 postseason games. He retired abruptly early in the 2024 season, saying he did not have the stamina to continue. Although he worked exclusively on radio for WABC, WCBS and WFAN Mr. Sterling almost always wore a suit and tie to speak to an audience that could not see him."

"He was polarizing for his mistakes: He sometimes thought long fly balls were home runs, and lost sight of balls hit into the corners of the outfields of stadiums. But he was popular with Yankee fans. They loved his over-the-top bias toward the team he could be critical of them, too, when necessary and his madcap elation at their wins, when he would quiver excitedly in his seat, wave his arms over his head, pump a fist and shout in his baritone: Ballgame over! The Yankees win! Thuuuuuuuuh Yankees win!"

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