The New York Yankees and baseball fans are mourning the passing of longtime radio announcer John Sterling, who passed away at the age of 87 in Englewood, N.J.
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According to The New York Times, Sterling's son, Bradford, announced his death. The cause of death is said to be complications following a heart attack.
The Yankees mourn the loss of legendary broadcaster John Sterling. Our thoughts are with John’s family, friends and loved ones at this time. pic.twitter.com/1rCeRC1D61
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 4, 2026
Born John Sloss in Manhattan in 1938, the future announcer grew up listening to such figures as Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra. As he told The New York Times in 2011, he admired their vocal dexterity.
"I studied and mimicked everyone — disc jockeys, news readers, baseball and football announcers," he said. "I used to get teased as a young boy for my deep voice, but I learned I could use it to adapt to different radio styles."
The New York native got his first on-air job at the age of 19. He joined a station in Wellsville, N.Y., and he changed his surname to Sterling. This kicked off a career that would last several decades.
Sterling called games for a variety of teams over the decades. This includes the Baltimore Bullets, New York Islanders, New York Nets, Atlanta Braves, and Atlanta Hawks. He then began his tenure with the New York Yankees in 1989 as he partnered with Jay Johnstone.
Sterling went on to call 5,420 regular-season games for the Yankees. He called more than 200 postseason games while showcasing a unique style highlighted by nicknames, over-the-top excitement, and occasional mistakes.
RIP to Yankees and baseball broadcasting legend John Sterling 🎙️
We'll never forget his call of Aaron Judge's record-breaking 62nd home run pic.twitter.com/Ju4Y5PJOUC
— BetRivers Sportsbook (@BetRivers) May 4, 2026
Sterling's calls varied based on the player in the spotlight at the particular moment. For example, he said "Case closed" after Aaron Judge hit a record-breaking 62nd home run. He also said "A thrilla from Godzilla" when Japanese player Hideki Matsui delivered in his at-bat appearances.
"We are saddened by the passing of former New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling," MLB said in a statement.
"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."
