John Sterling dies at 87

[rawmustard]

The legendary radio voice for the Yankees John Sterling died today at age 87. He served as the Yankees play-by-play announcer from 1989 through 2024, having called every game in both Derek Jeter's and Mariano Rivera's careers.

[Honeyman]

RIP.

He was an awful play-by-play man.

[Realist]

He was an awful play-by-play man.

His overuse of cliche phrases during the game became nauseating

[edj]

He was better in his younger years with the Braves. The last 20 years of his career with Suzyn was the worst MLB radio team in the country. I'd rank some minor league pairings over them.

[Honeyman]

[CurlyHoward]

He was better in his younger years with the Braves. The last 20 years of his career with Suzyn was the worst MLB radio team in the country. I'd rank some minor league pairings over them.

I know it's not nice to speak ill of the dead, but yeah him and Waldman were godawful. The Yankees TV voice Michael Kay sucks too but he's not AS bad as those two were. The Toledo Mud Hens announcers Matt Melzak and the late Jim Weber are certainly light years better.

[MWmetalhead]

Sterling was a pisser. His unusual mannerisms made him an intriguing listen in short doses.

He did remain on the job for too long. He probably should've retired five years sooner. Then, in the first year of his retirement, he shoved his replacement (some young kid in his 20s) out of the booth so that he could call the Yankees' playoff games that year.

There is some video on YouTube of his Atlanta Hawks play-by-play work from the mid or late 80s. He was quite good at calling NBA basketball back then.

[radioandtventhusiast]

Sterling was a little too corny for my taste. He seemed like a great guy who loved the Yanks and had a great life. It's still a sad loss. May he R.I,P.

I feel the Mets have the better announcers between the two NYC MLB teams. Howie Rose (who's retiring after this season) has long been one of MLB'S best radio voices, and the trio of Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling are among the best team TV booths.

[edj]

Always liked Howie Rose. The last of the great MLB PBP radio guys after this year are Pat Hughes and Tom Hamilton. All the others are either cookie cutter or just plain suck.

[CurlyHoward]

Young announcers don't want to be the voice of a MLB team anymore, they want to use it as a springboard to national NFL TV work. So they all try to sound like Joe Buck since he was the standard for a long time.

[Matt]

An A-Bomb... From A-ROD!!!!

Terrible.

[MWmetalhead]

Not exactly a politically correct phrase, is it?

The in-game guest interviews were always amusing to me.

Don't forget about "The Grandy-man can! The Grandy-man can!" for Curtis Granderson.