Remembering John Sterling, the Yankees' "Iron Voice"

Sterling called every pitch for games that took 3 ½ hours, and often better than four hours. He worked more than 200 October ballgames, many in frigid temperatures. He traveled to ballparks, not working remotely. John worked games in an era of social media, where every little mistake was pounced on.

Maybe the “Iron Voice” is meeting the “Iron Horse” this week?

John called 5,420 regular-season games and 211 postseason games for the franchise; he was a “Yankee Doodle—do or die.” His call after New York victories, “Theeeeeee Yankees Win” still reverberates.

Here’s the thing about John Sterling—he had a long, successful career before he even got the Yankee job. He was an Atlanta Braves and Hawks announcer for Ted Turner’s Superstation. And a damn good one. In the early 1980s, he was behind the microphone for Braves’ teams managed by Joe Torre. Torre and Sterling would finally reach the World Series in 1996 with New York.

I remember just three years ago talking to John about his time in Atlanta. “The team played downtown then, and I lived and played tennis where the ballpark (Truist Park) is now.”

I can only imagine Sterling in tennis whites, as he was always impeccably dressed, especially for a radio announcer.

Heck, I remember Sterling when he was a New York (and then New Jersey) Nets announcer in the late 1970s. He made players like “Super John Williamson” sound…theatrical, majestic. He did the same in Atlanta with Dominique Wilkins and Danny Roundfield.

What I’m saying is that he was a tremendous basketball announcer.

But something clicked in New York with the Yankees, and I have a theory why.

The Yankees always had a reputation as a stodgy, conservative team. In the 1950s, they were compared to IBM because both symbolized dominance and inevitability in their fields. Once the Mets came to New York, the Mets attracted a different kind of fan. They had goofy mascots, went out of their way to attract families and a younger crowd.

Even in recent years, Steinbrenner’s edict of no facial hair on Yankee players gave the team a conservative bent.

But John Sterling made it okay for young fans to appreciate the Bronx Bombers. The fact that he made mistakes and rooted for the home team and sang songs and gave nicknames and screamed “Theeeeeee Yan-kees Win” gave the franchise an identity that was different than the stodgy one they long carried.

He was funny and literate and different. He rhymed words that don’t rhyme. When Gary Sanchez hit a home run, his call was “The Sanchino! Oh, that Gary is scary.” Only John could make “Sanchino” rhyme with “Bambino”. Only John could rhyme “Gary” with “scary”.

It was a holiday when Gleyber Torres hit a homer (Gleyber Day).

Sometimes, John used a Spanish word or phrase, like calling Jeter, “El Capitan."

He borrowed lyrics from a 1976 song by The Trammps called “Disco Inferno” to scream “Bern Baby Bern” when Bernie Williams would sock one out of the park.

Sometimes, he used Broadway or movie song references from the 1970s. Curtis Granderson’s blasts led John to channel Sammy Davis Jr. when he sang “the Grandy Man can."

He literally made-up words. When Didi Gregorius hit homers, John’s call was “It is high, it is far…it is gone…Yes in-Didi! Gregorius has Yankee fans euphorious!"

I believe John meant the word “euphonious” which means pleasing, harmonious, or sweet to the ear. But the word “euphorious” doesn’t exist.

John Sterling always made Yankee fans euphorious, euphonious, and euphoric.

And while it’s sad that he passed away, he left us with many great memories. As he might have sang, “the sun will come out…Tanaka."

Editors’ Note: Elliott Kalb - dubbed “Mr. Stats” decades ago by Marv Albert and Bob Costas - is the former Senior Editorial Director at MLB Network and a longtime contributor of research and information to NBC Sports’ telecasts.