John Sterling - 1938-2026

[metirish]

Rest in peace, always seemed like a decent man.

[Gwreck]

First thing that comes to mind re: Sterling is that he was on the call in the legendary July 4, 1985 game that the Mets won in 19 innings.

 

[metirish]

That's great , did a person in Native American dress greet him at the plate ?? 

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Sad.

If you loved to hate the Yankees he was the best thing that ever happened.

I always thought his in-game calls were a form of singing ("THUH-uhhhh pitch ... a FAST strike... y'know Suzyn...") The HR calls were so cheesy you had to love them, and you know he loved doing them.

 

RIP, Pa Pinstripe

 

 

[seawolf17]

My first year in radio was spent in a tiny radio booth in downtown Rochester, plugging in local commercials during the MFY simulcasts in the summer and fall of 1996. Every game was absolute torture, as you might imagine.

But I know how I felt when Bob Murphy died, so I totally understand MFY fans who are feeling it today.

[MFS62]

I remember when he broadcast the Nets games.

After being a Met station for many years, I remember when I heard that WFAN would be carrying the MFY games, and thought that hearing Jon's voice on WFAN would be like seeing Yassir Arafat at a bar mitzvah.

 

Olevai Shalom

Later

[Edgy MD]

1 hour ago, metirish said:

That's great , did a person in Native American dress greet him at the plate ?? 

Yeah, the Braves had a mascot named Chief Noc-a-Homa.  He had a teepee behind the outfield wall and sent up smoke signals and did war cries and rain dances and stuff.

As they say on the Simpsons, he wasn't a real person, but a composite of several offensive Native American stereotypes.

You are seeing him in sunset there, as The Braves retired him following the 1985 season.

[Cowtipper]

Didn't realize he was so old! Never a huge fan of his style, but you can't say he wasn't iconic.