John Sterling, the radio voice of the New York Yankees for 36 years, has died at the age of 87. The man, who was born on July 4, 1938, was a real Yankee Doodle Dandy.
“I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy, a Yankee Doodle do or die; A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam…born on the fourth of July.” The popular 1942 movie, based on the life of renowned musical composer, playwright, singer and dancer George M. Cohan, was extremely patriotic. In the movie, James Cagney, portraying Cohan, does a tap dance down a set of stairs. Outside, he joins a military parade where the soldiers are singing “Over There” and at first he isn’t singing. Not knowing that Cohan is the song’s composer, one of them asks if he knows the words. Cohan’s response is a smile and then he starts singing.
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In baseball, the Yankees are associated as the red, white, and blue patriotic team. George Steinbrenner owned the Yankees from 1973 until his death in 2010. He was born, like the “…real live nephew of my Uncle Sam” on July 4. And Sterling, who despite calling the games of superstars like Dave Winfield, Derek Jeter, and Aaron Judge, was as popular a figure among the franchise’s fanbase as any player; was also born on the Fourth of July.
The primary reason the Yankees are associated with July 4 is the player known as “The Iron Horse”. It was on July 4, 1939 (Sterling’s first birthday) that the team held “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day” and in front of a packed house, Gehrig gave a brief, emotional farewell.
Like the great Yankee Lou Gehrig, Sterling also sported a consecutive game streak (5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 to July 2019).
In many ways (stay with me here) I consider Sterling’s streak even more impressive than Gehrig’s. Laruppin’ Lou played in an era where many games didn’t take more than two hours to play. He never had to play a game in late March or early April. He never had to play a game in mid-October or later. He never had to show up for more than 154 games and a best-of-seven World Series. He never had to play a single night game. He never had to take a single cross-country flight. Media scrutiny? Almost none.
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Sterling called every pitch for games that took 3 ½ hours, and often better than four hours. He worked more than 200 October ballgames, many in frigid temperatures. He traveled to ballparks, not working remotely. John worked games in an era of social media, where every little mistake was pounced on.
Maybe the “Iron Voice” is meeting the “Iron Horse” this week?
John called 5,420 regular-season games and 211 postseason games for the franchise; he was a “Yankee Doodle—do or die.” His call after New York victories, “Theeeeeee Yankees Win” still reverberates.
Here’s the thing about John Sterling—he had a long, successful career before he even got the Yankee job. He was an Atlanta Braves and Hawks announcer for Ted Turner’s Superstation. And a damn good one. In the early 1980s, he was behind the microphone for Braves’ teams managed by Joe Torre. Torre and Sterling would finally reach the World Series in 1996 with New York.
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I remember just three years ago talking to John about his time in Atlanta. “The team played downtown then, and I lived and played tennis where the ballpark (Truist Park) is now.”
I can only imagine Sterling in tennis whites, as he was always impeccably dressed, especially for a radio announcer.
Heck, I remember Sterling when he was a New York (and then New Jersey) Nets announcer in the late 1970s. He made players like “Super John Williamson” sound…theatrical, majestic. He did the same in Atlanta with Dominique Wilkins and Danny Roundfield.
What I’m saying is that he was a tremendous basketball announcer.
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But something clicked in New York with the Yankees, and I have a theory why.
The Yankees always had a reputation as a stodgy, conservative team. In the 1950s, they were compared to IBM because both symbolized dominance and inevitability in their fields. Once the Mets came to New York, the Mets attracted a different kind of fan. They had goofy mascots, went out of their way to attract families and a younger crowd.
Even in recent years, Steinbrenner’s edict of no facial hair on Yankee players gave the team a conservative bent.
But John Sterling made it okay for young fans to appreciate the Bronx Bombers. The fact that he made mistakes and rooted for the home team and sang songs and gave nicknames and screamed “Theeeeeee Yan-kees Win” gave the franchise an identity that was different than the stodgy one they long carried.
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He was funny and literate and different. He rhymed words that don’t rhyme. When Gary Sanchez hit a home run, his call was “The Sanchino! Oh, that Gary is scary.” Only John could make “Sanchino” rhyme with “Bambino”. Only John could rhyme “Gary” with “scary”.
It was a holiday when Gleyber Torres hit a homer (Gleyber Day).
Sometimes, John used a Spanish word or phrase, like calling Jeter, “El Capitan.”
He borrowed lyrics from a 1976 song by The Trammps called “Disco Inferno” to scream “Bern Baby Bern” when Bernie Williams would sock one out of the park.
Sometimes, he used Broadway or movie song references from the 1970s. Curtis Granderson’s blasts led John to channel Sammy Davis Jr. when he sang “the Grandy Man can.”
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He literally made-up words. When Didi Gregorius hit homers, John’s call was “It is high, it is far…it is gone…Yes in-Didi! Gregorius has Yankee fans euphorious!”
I believe John meant the word “euphonious” which means pleasing, harmonious, or sweet to the ear. But the word “euphorious” doesn’t exist.
John Sterling always made Yankee fans euphorious, euphonious, and euphoric.
And while it’s sad that he passed away, he left us with many great memories. As he might have sang, “the sun will come out…Tanaka.”
Editors’ Note: Elliott Kalb – dubbed “Mr. Stats” decades ago by Marv Albert and Bob Costas – is the former Senior Editorial Director at MLB Network and a longtime contributor of research and information to NBC Sports’ telecasts.
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