Chichester: John Sterling loves baseball, and made us love it even more
In what would be the last Yankees home run call of his illustrious broadcasting career, John Sterling broke out into song after Giancarlo Stanton blasted a grand slam into the left field seats in Yankee Stadium in the Yanks’ first home series of the season.
Was there a more fitting way for the radio icon to take his curtain call?
For anyone who grew up listening to Sterling, whether it had been through the dark days of the early 90s, the unprecedented euphoria of the late 90s (like I did), or the post-dynasty years, Sterling’s narration of Yankee baseball always boasted an unmatched enthusiasm. Whether the Bombers were rolling to a record 114-win season in 1998 or trotting out the likes of Ben Francisco and Lyle Overbay in an injury-ravaged 2013 campaign, Sterling was always having fun.
So it feels right that Sterling’s last home run call involved singing Dean Martin lyrics as Stanton cleared the bases on a sunny afternoon in the Bronx.
John Sterling loves baseball, and made us love it too. For those like me that already did love the game, he made me love it more. Growing up, a job like the radio voice of the Yankees seemed like the ultimate dream come true. Every night, Sterling made it sound like the gig was exactly that, because he always seemed to be having a genuinely good time calling the game. After all, if you’re singing while on the clock, odds are you’re enjoying what you do. While a broadcaster’s job, especially in radio, is to paint a picture of what is going on in the game, Sterling also made sure to make it clear that he was enjoying the game in front of him.
To know Sterling was experiencing that level of joy, even after more than 30 years announcing Yankee games, helps keep the love of baseball and the Bombers alive. Why else would someone still be singing to thousands of listeners at 86 years old? Why else would Sterling’s immediate response to retiring after calling more than 5,000 Yankee games be to tell Evan and Tiki that he will be watching and listening to every Yankee game, even in his much-deserved retirement?
That unprecedented enthusiasm made Yankees radio broadcasts a must listen. It was my comfort on summer nights in the car, smiling from 40 miles away in New Jersey as Sterling declared “Bobby Abreu is sweet as candy” after a home run over the short porch. When I first got my license and didn’t feel like going home, I would drive around town in my 1997 Honda Accord, listening to John and Suzyn when I could have gone home and watched the action unfold on the TV. But something about hearing John talk baseball felt more wholesome, like I was tapping into a throwback generation that I never lived through. So even when my friends in the passenger seat would look at me like I was genuinely crazy after reciting Suzyn introducing John “stepping up to the microphone” followed by “Well Suzyn, I thank you” verbatim while driving aimlessly around, I was still smiling, knowing I was in for another few hours of familiar entertainment.
The fact that Sterling’s enthusiasm never seemed to waver, even into his 80s, is arguably his biggest career achievement. In an era where countless broadcasters seem to make a point to rip modern nuances of the game and how it is different from their era, that was never John. Sure, he would criticize the team or a decision when it was warranted, but never exhaustingly lamented new rules, trends, or behaviors of baseball that many repeat to tireless levels. There was always an appreciation for the game, even after 30 years of watching every night.
The day I met Sterling remains a highlight of my career and baseball fandom. I was sitting at my cubicle in the WFAN studios, and lo and behold, here comes John, strolling in to record something for the upcoming season as the team was starting spring training. As he waited to record his bit, he sat down right next to me, and proceeded to talk about the upcoming season. Would Jameson Taillon hold up for a full year? How big of a problem was left field? Could Aaron Judge repeat his 62-homer masterpiece?
After a while, I remember thinking to myself, ‘Am I being an annoyance by yapping about a team this legend has watched constantly for three decades?’ But he continued to carry the conversation as much as I did, clearly enjoying being in his element of talking about the Yankees and baseball, right up until he was summoned into the studio to get to his work. Whether he is behind a microphone or not, John Sterling loves baseball.
That’s the enthusiasm he carried through his final home run call, and will undoubtedly continue as he deservedly kicks his feet up and listens to the Yanks from home.
