Professional Baseball Instruction joins the baseball community in celebrating the amazing career of John Sterling, longtime radio voice of the New York Yankees, who passed away on May 4, 2026 just two months shy of his 88th birthday.
From 1989 to 2024, John was not only the Voice of the Yankees, but also the Voice of Summer. During the course of his career he called 5060 consecutive Yankees games on the radio.
Let that number sink in.
5060 consecutive games.
Take THAT, Cal Ripken!
John was there for every at bat of Derek Jeter’s Hall-of-Fame career, and likewise for every pitch that Mariano Rivera threw.
John Sterling with PBI’s Jim Monaghan (l) and Doug Cinnella (r)
PBI owner/president Doug Cinnella on John Sterling –
“John was a good friend to us at PBI. He loved to bring his boys to our training programs. John had a genuine like for the PBI coaches and enjoyed being around the camps and clinics very much. He regaled us with his Yankee tales. We did a special day with John at PBI called ‘Sterling Stories.’ John spun some yarns about the greatest moments in Yankees history that he covered during his illustrious career behind the microphone. Such a special man. We at PBI appreciate and love John Sterling, and like millions of people, we will dearly miss his voice forever.”
A native New Yorker, John’s radio career began in Baltimore in 1970 where he broadcast Baltimore Bullets NBA games in 1970-71.
JOHN STERLING’S BROADCASTING CAREER
- Atlanta Braves (MLB)
- Atlanta Hawks (NBA)
- Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
- Morgan State University football
- New York Islanders (NHL)
- New York/New Jersey Nets (ABA and NBA)
- New York Raiders (World Hockey Association)
- New York Yankees (MLB)
Blessed with a mellifluous voice, John’s Yankees broadcast were punctuated with personalized home run calls for each Yankee hitter who hit a home run, as well his “THE-E-E-E-E-E YANKEES WIN!” signature proclamation after each New York victory.
John was also the Voice of PBI – for years, it was John’s voice that greeted you whenever you called Professional Baseball Instruction.
His sons Derek and Brad were PBI students, too, playing for our Eagles Baseball teams as John noted during this 2011 Yankees game.
John’s voice added to the PBI experience in this 2015 television commercial.
John Sterling was the winner of 12 Sports Emmy Awards including two for the YES Network’s Yankeegraphy series.
