Legendary Yankees radio voice John Sterling has died at 87, WFAN reported and friend Rickie Ricardo confirmed to NJ.com on Monday morning.
Sterling was synonymous with the Yankees during his 36-season run at WFAN. He was revered for his iron-man status — at one point having called 5,060 consecutive games — and known for his various quirky signature calls.
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Here are some of the calls that defined his career.
To punctuate a Yankees victory, Sterling would say, “Theeeeeeeeee Yankees win!’ before doing a little shimmy that came to be known as ”The Sterling Shake.”
Sterling’s signature home run call, although periodically he would make a premature call and the ball would end up foul or caught at or near the wall. His final home run call was a Giancarlo Stanton grand slam on April 7, 2024.
Sterling and longtime radio partner Suzyn Waldman had an endearing relationship and longtime partnership. They would muse over the intricacies and quirks of baseball, such as when the shift might end, and Sterling would often conclude the discussion with this phrase.
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Sterling’s home run call for Bernie Williams.
For Aaron Judge, Sterling would exclaim, “A Judgeian Blast. All Rise. Case Closed.”
Former Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres.
‘It’s a thrilla! By Godzilla!’
Former Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui.
‘An A-Bomb from A-Rod!’
For Alex Rodriguez.
‘The Giambino’
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For Jason Giambi.
After a complete game by former Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka, Sterling would sing a little tune to honor the performance.
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