John Sterling, Longtime Radio Voice of New York Yankees, Dies at 87

John Sterling, the radio voice of the New York Yankees for 36 seasons, died on May 4, 2026, at his home in Edgewater, New Jersey, of complications following a heart attack. He was 87 years old at the time of his death. The New York Yankees announced his passing.

The Yankees stated on social media: 'The Yankees mourn the loss of legendary broadcaster John Sterling. Sterling had undergone heart bypass surgery in recent months and last winter, and was under health care and recovering at his home at the time of his passing. Sterling called 5,420 regular-season games and 211 postseason games when he retired in April 2024.

He broadcast 5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 through July 2019. He began with the New York Yankees as a pregame host and started broadcasting their games on radio in 1989, continuing until his retirement in 2024. Sterling came out of retirement to call New York Yankees games during the 2024 postseason.

In 2023, he was hit by a foul ball during a broadcast and returned to work the next day. He won 12 Emmys for his work. Major League Baseball stated on May 4, 2026: 'Through his unique style and passionate play-by-play calls, Sterling endeared himself to generations of players and fans as radio voice of the Yankees from 1989 to 2024.

Sterling and Waldman worked side-by-side for his final 20 seasons. Sterling was born John Sloss in Manhattan on July 4, 1938.

At age 19, he landed a job on-air at a small radio station near Buffalo and changed his name to Sterling. He moved around to various other stations over the next decades before landing at New York’s WABC in 1989. Sterling is survived by four children: triplets Bradford, Derek and Veronica, and daughter Abigail.