John Sterling, the iconic voice of the Yankees, passed away at 87 on May 4, 2026. He served as the New York Yankees’ radio play-by-play announcer for 36 years. His career in baseball broadcasting began in 1961.
Sterling’s tenure included calling every game of Derek Jeter’s career. He called 5,060 consecutive Yankees games until he missed his first game in July 2019. Known for his unique home run calls, he famously said, ‘An A-bomb for A-Rod’ for Alex Rodriguez.
Key achievements:
- Sterling was a 12-time Emmy winner.
- He was a finalist for the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award three times.
- He called 211 postseason games.
Sterling’s distinctive catchphrase after a Yankees win was ‘Thhhhhhhuh Yankeeeeees Win!’. His health issues included a heart attack in January 2026 and heart failure as the cause of death.
Aaron Judge remarked on Sterling’s wit and intelligence. He said, ‘He was so witty, smart.’ The Yankees issued a statement saying, ‘John Sterling breathed life and excitement into Yankees games for 36 years while wearing his passion for baseball and the Yankees on his sleeve.’
