John Sterling, the theatrical radio voice of the New York Yankees for parts of 36 seasons, has died, the team and radio station WFAN announced Monday. He was 87.
Sterling had heart bypass surgery this winter and was attended by health care aides at his home in Edgewater, New Jersey, after the procedure. The Yankees said he died at a New Jersey hospital.
Sterling called 5,651 games -- 5,426 in the regular season plus 225 postseason -- including 5,060 in a row from September 1989 through July 2019. He retired in April 2024 just after the season's start, citing fatigue, then returned to broadcast Yankees games during the 2024 postseason.
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
Sterling came out of retirement to call Yankees games during the 2024 postseason.
"We pause today -- along with millions of Yankees fans around the world -- to recognize the passing of one of our own," the team said in a statement. "John Sterling breathed life and excitement into Yankees games for 36 years while wearing his passion for baseball and the Yankees on his sleeve. He informed and entertained generations of fans with a theatrical and unapologetic style that was uniquely his own.
"John treasured his role as the voice of the New York Yankees, and his enthusiasm for the art of broadcasting perfectly complemented our city and our fans. The symmetry between John and his audience was both undeniable and magical, and his signature calls will resonate for as long as we put on pinstripes -- especially after every Yankees win."
Sterling was on the air for 24 Yankees postseason trips, seven World Series appearances and five World Series titles.
Known for his signature "The Yankees win!" victory call and his personalized home run calls, Sterling spent his last 20 seasons with the Yankees working alongside Suzyn Waldman.
"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," Major League Baseball said in a statement. "His signature punctuation of Yankees victories included calling the final out of five World Series championships."
Sterling's call for a player's home run became as treasured a part of a Yankees identity as an initial set of pinstripes or a championship ring. As rookies prepared for debuts and former opponents arrived in trades, fans speculated how he would label the newcomer's first longball.
From "Bernie goes boom! Bern, baby, Bern!" for Bernie Williams, to "It's a Jeter jolt!" for Derek Jeter to "It's an A-bomb from A-Rod!" for Alex Rodriguez, "The Giambino!" for Jason Giambi and "A thrilla from Godzilla!" for Hideki Matsui, Sterling created personal stamps resonating from the clubhouse to the bleachers.
Waldman said she had no advance word of the home run calls.
"Sometimes I'd have to turn the sound off because I'd be laughing so hard," she said Monday. "Players started to come to him and said: 'I want one.' Remember Nick Swisher? He called him once Jolly Old Saint Nick. And up comes Swisher to the back of the plane and said, 'I don't like that. I'm not Jolly old Saint Nick.' That's where Swishalicious came from."
He also was known some viral bloopers: home run calls on balls that were caught, catches that weren't, fair balls that were foul and other foibles.
Waldman said criticism stung.
"John had no guile," she said. "He didn't understand it when people were mean to him because he could never be mean to anybody."
Born Josh Sloss on July 4, 1938, Sterling grew up in Manhattan and left college to work for radio stations. He had wanted to be a broadcaster since hearing "The Eddie Bracken Show" in the 1940s.
Sterling started his radio career in 1960 at a station in Wellsville, New York.
"I was preparing this all my life. It was easy," he said. "I could always open my mouth and talk."
Sterling cited Mel Allen, Russ Hodges and Jim Karvellas as influences. He wound up joining Allen in the history of memorable Yankees broadcasters along with Red Barber, Phil Rizzuto, Bill White and Frank Messer.
Sterling announced games for the NBA's Washington Bullets and Morgan State football in his early years and gained notoriety for shrieking "Islanders goal! Islanders goal!" during the NHL team's games from 1975-78. He also called games for the NBA's Nets from 1975-80.
Sterling's first connection with the Yankees was during WMCA pregame radio talk shows from 1971-78. He moved to Atlanta and worked for the Braves from 1982-87 and Hawks from 1981-89 before switching to the Yankees, where he replaced Hank Greenwald.
Sterling was seldom in the clubhouse and dressed in Brooks Brothers suits even though he was on the radio. He partnered with Jay Johnstone (1989-90), Joe Angel (1991), Michael Kay (1992-2001), Charley Steiner (2002-04) and Waldman (since 2005). Sterling and Waldman were inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2016.
Sterling was proud of his unique style.
"Harry Caray told me some years ago," he recalled in 2024 of the famous Cubs and White Sox broadcaster, "and he says, 'John, all the guys are great. We just have different styles.' And no one has a more different style than I have."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.