John Sterling, Beloved Voice Of Yankees For 36 Seasons, Dies At Age Of 87

John Sterling, whose sound became synonymous pinch nan New York Yankees, has died astatine nan property of 87.

Sterling, a autochthonal New Yorker, started broadcasting Yankees games connected power successful 1989 and continued until he retired successful April 2024. During that span, he called 5,420 regular-season games and 211 successful nan postseason. He seldom missed a crippled and worked 5,060 consecutive games betwixt 1989 and 2019. During 1 memorable crippled successful 2023, he was deed by a foul shot during a broadcast and returned to activity nan adjacent day.

“We are devastated to perceive astir nan passing of John Sterling, a WFAN and Yankees power icon whose sound was synonymous pinch an full procreation of Yankee fandom,” WFAN Sports Radio said successful a statement.

New York Yankees power broadcaster John Sterling looks retired from nan broadcasting booth 1 last clip anterior to retiring earlier nan crippled betwixt nan Yankees and nan Tampa Bay Rays astatine Yankee Stadium connected April 20, 2024, successful New York, New York. Photograph: New York Yankees/Getty Images

Sterling’s profession coincided pinch an era of immense occurrence for nan Yankees: he was connected nan telephone erstwhile nan squad won 5 World Series titles. He was known for his passion, knowledge and exclaiming “The Yankees win!” aft victories.

“Through his unsocial style and passionate play-by-play calls, Sterling endeared himself to generations of players and fans arsenic power sound of nan Yankees from 1989 to 2024,” Major League Baseball said successful a statement. “His signature punctuation of Yankees victories included calling nan last retired of 5 World Series championships.”

Sterling, a begetter of four, won 12 Sports Emmys during his agelong profession and was nominated for baseball’s hallway of fame.