The baseball world lost a legend on Monday, with longtime Yankees radio voice John Sterling passing away at 87. After more than three decades of calling Yankees games and injecting his one-of-a-kind personality into every moment, Sterling will leave a legacy in both New York and baseball on a larger scale.
Those around the league quickly honored that legacy during Monday night’s slate of games. Tributes rolled in from across the league, with various play-by-play announcers deviating from their typical routines to give a nod to Sterling’s distinct style.
It started with the Yankees and TV man Michael Kay, who called Aaron Judge’s first-inning home run exactly as Sterling would have: “It is high, it is far, it is gone!” Kay said, continuing: “Aaron Judge, a Judgian blast! Here comes the Judge!”
The Yankees also tipped the cap to Sterling by playing a recording of his iconic post-win call over the loudspeakers in Yankee Stadium once New York wrapped up a 12-1 win over the Orioles -- “Yankees win, theeee Yankees win!” -- something Judge and manager Aaron Boone each said they hoped could continue to be done moving forward.
Out in Colorado, as the Mets finished a 4-2 win over the Rockies, radio voice Keith Raad duplicated Sterling’s call. “Ballgame over! Mets win! Theeeeeeeee Mets win!” Raad exclaimed. “That was for you, John Sterling.”
The same went for the Mariners once they completed a 5-4 win over the Braves. Radio voice Rick Rizzs detailed the game-ending groundout, followed by “The Mariners win! The Mariners win! The Mariners winnnnnnnnn!”
Len Kasper on White Sox radio joined in, calling Munetaka Murakami’s fourth-inning homer with, “It is high, it is far, it is gone! A moonshot, for Mune! That’s for you, John Sterling.”
For Alex Freeland’s home run for the Dodgers, radio voice Tim Neverett joined the salute to Sterling: “It is high, it is far, it is gone!”
And finally, as Aroldis Chapman shut things down for the Red Sox over the Tigers, Will Flemming followed suit on radio, putting The Rivalry aside to honor Sterling's many years in the booth: “Ballgame over! The Red Sox win. Theeeeeeeee Red Sox win! That’s for you, John Sterling.”