John Sterling is a legend in the radio industry for his play-by-play broadcasting on WFAN with the New York Yankees for 36 years.
Sterling, 86, was named the Yankees’ radio broadcaster before the 1989 season. He retired at the end of this past MLB season, when the Yankees lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five on October 30 at Yankee Stadium.
He called five Yankees’ World Series victories, eight World Series appearances, and 5,060 consecutive Yankees games from 1989 to 2019. Sterling is also a 12-time Sports Emmy Award winner.
Interview with the Yankees legendary radio broadcaster John Sterling on his favorite call and his offseason thoughts. pic.twitter.com/9nC8XQ4YEz
— Julian Guilarte (@JulianGuilarte1) February 1, 2025
The legendary radio personality was among many people with Yankee connections taking photos and signing autographs at the Pinstripe Pride event, which was put together at Hall of Fame signings for three days this past weekend at American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Sterling spoke with World Baseball Network about his career and the Yankees offseason moves.
“Getting the Yankee job… It was out of the blue, I didn’t audition, and I lasted 36 years,” Sterling told World Baseball Network at the Pinstripe Pride event.
He was happy to say his career has helped him send his four kids through college. Sterling went to three different colleges which were Morivan College, Boston University, and Columbia University School of General Studies. He got his first gig 65 years ago at a small radio station in Wellsville, New York.
Sterling took the afternoon slot, was left unsupervised, and had to operate the radio station fully. Wellsville is where his passion for being live on the air was born and he knew that he was interested in radio when he was nine years old. He also had a strong love for baseball, basketball, hockey, and football.
In the 1970-1971 NBA season, he landed his first play-by-play job on the radio with the Baltimore Bullets. In 1971, Sterling came to New York City to broadcast as a talk show host with WMCA.
He did Yankees pregame shows and announced games on the radio for New Jersey Nets, and the New York Islanders from 1975-1980.
In 1981, he moved to Atlanta and announced games for the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Braves on Turner Sports. In 1989, Sterling returned to New York and got the Yankees job. He excelled with his memorable home run calls and enthusiasm.
“The three games in Atlanta when they were down 2-0. Joe Torres’s brother got a new heart on Friday and they won the World Series on Sunday.”
The Yankees erased a 2-0 deficit to end an 18-year championship drought which is the longest in their history since they started winning the World Series in 1923.
This current Yankees team is now facing a fifteen-year drought without winning a championship and lost one of the best players in MLB, Dominican outfielder Juan Soto in free agency to the New York Mets.
The Yankees quickly pivoted this offseason adding Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, and Fernando Cruz.
“I just told Brian Cashman this, I think they are a better team without Soto because they got so many great players, but we’ll see.”
Sterling’s voice will be missed on the radio by many Yankee fans this season and beyond.
