John Sterling, Yankees Announcer, Dies at 87

John Sterling, the legendary radio voice of the New York Yankees for more than three decades, died at age 87, WFAN Sports Radio announced on Monday.

Sterling served as the Yankees' play-by-play announcer from 1989 until his retirement in April 2024, calling five World Series championships and seven American League pennants. He broadcast 5,060 consecutive games during one stretch, from his Yankees debut until a health issue sidelined him briefly in July 2019. His career spanned 64 years and eight decades, beginning at a small radio station in Wellsville, New York, in the late 1950s. Early stops included play-by-play for the NBA's Baltimore Bullets in 1970, the World Hockey Association's New York Stars, the New York Islanders, the American Basketball Association's New York Nets and time in Atlanta before returning to New York for the Yankees.

Known for his distinctive, theatrical style, Sterling blended baseball calls with references to Frank Sinatra, Broadway tunes and soap operas. His signature home run exclamation, "It is high, it is far, it is gone," became iconic, often followed by personalized celebrations such as "Burn Baby Burn" for Bernie Williams, "A Thrilla from...