From Bryan Hoch:
John Sterling, who broadcast more than three decades of Yankees games and was famously celebrated for his booming baritone, sing-song inflections and signature home run calls, has passed away. He was 87.
A colorful personality who engaged and entertained fans with a distinct conversational style, Sterling called 5,426 regular-season Yankees games and 225 more in the postseason from 1989 until his retirement in 2024. After initially stepping away from the microphone in April of that year, Sterling returned to call selected games late in the ’24 season, including each contest of the World Series.
Whatever you felt about John Sterling as an announcer, he was obviously both incredibly earnest, and a visceral part of Yankees history for decades.
He always seemed like a “work until I die” guy, so when he retired after 2024, it seemed like this day was coming soon, but it’s still a shock that it has happened.
RIP.
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R.I.P. John.
Somewhere theres a good natured, respectful it is high, it is far joke. But I’ll defer to Suzyn
Suzyn Waldman on John Sterling: “This man, he’s the only person I’ve ever met who did everything he ever wanted to do in his life. This man lived life to the fullest. It should be a celebration, not a mourning. From the time he was six years old, this is what he wanted to do. And he did it.”
He never wanted a night with [did a search for “prettiest actress in old-time musical theater”] Mary Martin or Gwen Verdon?
Or… is Suzyn suggesting… Nawwwww!!!
John had a great voice for radio. ( and face, if you were to believe him.) In a busy kitchen, it cut through a lot of the noise so you could hear what was going on. We missed his calls after his retirement. My two favorite JS moments were, once after we won the alcs,I believe, He went live down to the lockeroom but the door was locked. You could hear him pounding the door as he harumphed, “Never, never in all my days!” He did not get in. The other was a day game where they cut away for a commercial break but no commercial came on. I guess not realizing he still had a hot mic, you could just picture him slowly shaking his head as we heard, ” Stupid people, stupid, stupid people.”
I spent a longer portion of my life listening to this guy call games than i did just about anything other than spending time with my family. His career outlasted my education, relationships, and just about every interest outside of being a Yankees fan. There was a period of time where I thought he was the corniest person I ever heard and started listening to the away games when I could get them. Now that he’s gone, it all seems like a brief flicker, and I am a little more moved than I expected to be, maybe from the proof that like him, all of our days are numbered.
RIP and thanks for the memories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BriIpt5WT