Legendary New York Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling has died at 87.
Sterling joined the team in 1989 and spent 36 years in the booth, calling 5,420 regular-season games and 211 playoff games before retiring in April 2024. He worked 5,060 consecutive games from 1989 to 2019.
“We pause today — along with millions of Yankees fans around the world — to recognize the passing of one of our own. John Sterling breathed life and excitement into Yankees games for 36 years while wearing his passion for baseball and the Yankees on his sleeve. He informed and entertained generations of fans with a theatrical and unapologetic style that was uniquely his own,” read a statement from the Yankees.
“John treasured his role as the voice of the New York Yankees, and his enthusiasm for the art of broadcasting perfectly complemented our city and our fans. The symmetry between John and his audience was both undeniable and magical, and his signature calls will resonate for as long as we put on pinstripes — especially after every Yankees win. We send our heartfelt condolences to the entire Sterling family, as well as his long list of loved ones and friends.”
Sterling suffered a heart attack in January. The announcement of his death did not include where or how he died.
The New York native was known for his enthusiastic delivery and signature catchphrases like “It is high, it is far, it is gone!” and “Thuuhhh Yankees win!”
“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,” Major League Baseball said in a statement. “His signature punctuation of Yankees victories included calling the final out of five World Series championships.”
Sterling was on the air for seven World Series with the Yankees, including championships in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. His career spanned every single game played by shortstop Derek Jeter and every pitch thrown by fellow Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera.
“He’s synonymous with those five championships (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009),” longtime broadcast partner Michael Kay said, per The Athletic. “If you’re coming into people’s homes, at the beach, the pool or their car, and you’re constantly telling them good news — it made him part of the Yankee firmament. He became a part of forever, because those championships are never going to go away.”
Sterling was a 12-time Sports Emmy Award winner and a member of the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
“I am a very blessed human being,” Sterling said in a statement announcing his retirement. “I have been able to do what I wanted, broadcasting for 64 years. As a little boy growing up in New York as a Yankees fan, I was able to broadcast the Yankees for 36 years.”
–Field Level Media
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