Girardi Lauds Sterling's Passion in Yankees Tribute
Former New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi described his sadness over the death of longtime team radio broadcaster John Sterling, who was 87. Girardi, now a YES Network analyst, praised Sterling's passion and humor in a phone interview with Fox News Digital on Monday. Fans at Yankee Stadium chanted Sterling's name during the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles that night.
Sterling broadcast Yankees games on WFAN from 1989 until April 2024, then returned for postseason calls as the team reached the World Series for the first time since Girardi's 2009 championship squad. He spent 64 years in the industry and called 5,060 consecutive games. His partner Suzyn Waldman told Girardi that Sterling "only did what he wanted to do and never did anything he didn’t want to do."
Girardi recalled Sterling interrupting a pregame interview during his managing days to take a phone call, saying, "Darling, I’m doing the manager’s show. I’ll call you back in three minutes." Sterling's signature home run calls, such as "It is high, it is far, it is gone!" followed by player-specific phrases like "Here comes the Judge!" for Aaron Judge, showcased his creativity. "Always curious what that was going to be," Girardi said.
Girardi highlighted Sterling's care for individuals and desire for their success, beyond his broadcasting grind of 162 regular-season games plus spring training and playoffs. "He was an example of how you were supposed to live," Girardi said. "Find your passion and do it as long as you can."
