John Sterling, the radio voice of the New York Yankees over 36 seasons, died today, May 4, at his home in Edgewater, New Jersey, of complications following a heart attack. He was 87.
His death was announced by the New York Yankees. “The Yankees mourn the loss of legendary broadcaster John Sterling,” the organization said on social media. “Our thoughts are with John’s family, friends and loved ones at this time.”
Sterling had undergone heart bypass surgery in recent months and was under health care at his home at the time of his passing.
According to ESPN, Sterling had called 5,420 regular-season games and 211 postseason games when he retired in April 2024. He broadcast 5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 through July 2019 after beginning with the Yankees as a pregame host. He came out of retirement to call Yankees games during the 2024 postseason.
For Yankees fans, a team victory was incomplete with Sterling’s trademark “The Yankees win! Thuuuuuuuuh Yankees win!” bellow. Major League Baseball said in a statement today, “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. His signature punctuation of Yankees victories included calling the final out of five World Series championships.”
“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,” WFAN, New York sports radio station, said in a statement today.
Known for his colorful characterizations of Yankee players – “It’s a Jeter jolt!” for Derek Jeter and “It’s an A-bomb from A-Rod!” for Alex Rodriguez – Sterling was born John Sloss in Manhattan on July 4, 1938. At 19 he landed a job on-air at a small radio station near Buffalo, changing his name to Sterling. He moved around to various other stations over the next decades before landing at New York’s WABC in 1989.
In 2013, the Yankees announced a move to WFAN, with Sterling and co-announced Suzyn Waldman making the move. The two would work side-by-side for Sterling’s final 20 seasons.
He is survived by four children: triplets Bradford, Derek and Veronica, and daughter Abigail.
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