The New York Yankees are mourning the loss of one of the most iconic voices in franchise history. Legendary broadcaster John Sterling passed away on Monday at the age of 87, leaving behind a legacy that stretches far beyond the broadcast booth.
According to The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, the Yankees will continue wearing hats with “JS” on the back for the foreseeable future, with another remembrance — likely a patch or armband — expected to arrive sometime soon.
New York Yankees to Honor John Sterling
Sterling, who began his run with the Yankees in 1989, called 5,060 consecutive Yankees games and 5,651 total over the course of his career. He retired in April 2024 after 36 years with the organization and 64 years in broadcasting overall, though he came out of retirement to call the 2024 postseason, including the World Series.
Prior to Monday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees held a moment of silence in Sterling’s honor. Longtime broadcasters Michael Kay and Suzyn Waldman laid a bouquet of flowers at home plate in a touching tribute to their beloved colleague.
The Yankees went on to defeat the Orioles, powered by none other than Aaron Judge — a fitting way to honor the man who spent many days calling Judge’s biggest moments.
Yankees Broadcaster John Sterling: A Radio Legend
During Monday’s broadcast of the Yankees game against the Orioles, Michael Kay honored Sterling in the most fitting way possible. When Aaron Judge launched a home run, Kay paid tribute to his late colleague by delivering one of Sterling’s most legendary and widely known calls — “It is high, it is far, it is gone.” It was a moment that stopped Yankees fans in their tracks and served as a perfect sendoff for the man who made that phrase synonymous with Yankees baseball.
Sterling battled health issues over the last couple of years before his passing. His impact on Yankees history and baseball broadcasting as a whole is permanent. He is entrenched not only in Yankees media history but in the franchise’s identity itself.
For an entire generation of Yankees fans, Sterling’s voice was the soundtrack of summer — the sound of a pennant race, a playoff push, and more than a few championships.
The tributes have poured in from across the baseball world, and they will continue. But for Yankees fans, no tribute will quite capture what Sterling meant — a voice so synonymous with the team that it’s impossible to imagine one without the other.
The Yankees will host the Texas Rangers on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. EST.
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