John Sterling, legendary Yankees voice, dead at 87…
John Sterling, whose mellifluous voice turned (*87*) soundtrack of spring, summer time and fairly a few Octobers to generations of Yankees followers and who during one stretch broadcast 5,060 consecutive games, has died at 87 years outdated.
Sterling, (*87*) Yankees’ radio play-by-play voice for 36 seasons, was behind (*87*) microphone for 5 world championship groups and 7 American League pennant winners during a broadcasting profession that started upstate at a tiny radio station in Wellsville during (*87*) late Fifties and spanned an unbelievable eight many years.
John Sterling dead at 87. Robert Sabo for NY Post
An eclectic and eccentric character well-versed in Frank Sinatra, basic movies, Broadway present tunes, and his favourite cleaning soap operas, Sterling was just as apt to interrupt right into a music from (*87*) second act of “Oklahoma” as he was to explain (*87*) intricacies of a well-executed 3-6-3 double play.
His over-(*87*)-top imprimatur instantly following (*87*) final out of Yankee victories — “Ballgame over. Yankees win. Thuuuuugh Yankees win” — was a fan favourite as had been his hokey salutations celebrating Yankee house runs. It was a shtick —and Sterling gladly admitted he was doing shtick —that started with (*87*) simple and benign “Burn Baby Burn” (Bernie Williams). Over (*87*) years that led to “A Thrilla from Godzilla” (Hideki Matsui), “It’s an A-bomb from A-Rod” (Alex Rodriguez) and “Robby Cano, don’t you know,” all (*87*) technique to “Giancarlo, non si può stoparlo” in tribute to slugger Giancarlo Stanton’s Italian heritage.
John Sterling behind (*87*) mic in 2019. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
While Yankees followers liked that Sterling noticed every thing via pinstriped glasses, he did have his critics who decried his many affectations and (*87*) accuracy of some of his calls. His signature “It is high, it is far, it is gone,” caught in a variety of listeners’ craws since Sterling would use it regardless of (*87*) trajectory or distance of a house run
And Sterling, who wore a jacket and tie to every game — and white pants after Memorial Day however never past Labor Day — couldn’t have cared less.
“If someone tells you you stink, what do they know. It’s just their opinion,” he as soon as said. “There will always be people who don’t like what you do. It’s like any art form. That’s just the way it is.”
Said his longtime broadcast associate Suzyn Waldman: “He is more comfortable in his own skin than anyone I have ever met in my whole life.”
John Sterling greets Derek Jeter during a ceremony at Yankee Stadium, the place (*87*) Yankees retired (*87*) captain’s quantity. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
After lacking a pair of games during (*87*) 1989 season — his first with (*87*) Yankees — following (*87*) dying of his sister Jane, Sterling didn’t miss a game for 30 years until a health issue compelled him to skip a handful of contests in July 2019.
Sterling also missed a handful of games during (*87*) truncated 2020 season with a blood infection that required a quick hospital keep.
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