John Sterling, the longtime radio and television voice of the New York Yankees, has died at the age of 87, WFAN radio announced on Monday, May 4.
For 36 seasons, Sterling teamed with Michael Kay and then Suzyn Waldman in the broadcast booth, calling the team's run of four World Series championships in five years between 1996 and 2000, ending each victory with what became his signature call: "YANKEES WIN! THAAAAAAAA YANKEES WIN!"
Sterling was also a fan favorite for his signature home run calls. They frequently began with, "It is high. It is far. It is GONE!" Then he would follow with a personalized version for each Yankees player.
A native New Yorker, Sterling called New Jersey Nets basketball and New York Islanders hockey games starting in 1971. He moved to Atlanta in 1981 and began calling Braves baseball and Hawks basketball games.
While he was widely known for his work on national telecasts and on TBS, he became an institution with the Yankees.
