Touching base with John Sterling
Legendary Yankees broadcaster turns 85 on July 4
Over the phone, John Sterling — that familiar booming baritone, broadcasting to one listener — mentions a recent conversation with another veteran baseball-play-by-play man..
“He said, ‘I love the game as much as ever, but I hate traveling. And that’s what I think,’ ’’ said Sterling, who started in the New York Yankees’ booth in 1989, after spending most of the ‘80s on Atlanta Braves broadcasts.
“The easiest thing I do is the ballgame. Everything else is tough because I’m going to be 85,’’ Sterling said, punctuated with a laugh.
So, to mark his July 4 birthday and his 35th season with the Yankees, here’s part of a lengthy Q&A with the radio voice of the Yankees.
What’s your impression of MLB’s new rule changes?
‘’I love them. The pitch clock, the (increased) base stealing, the no shifts — I love it all. I wish we’d see the (batting) averages go up. But we played (a recent game) in 2:09. Fabulous!’’
When did you know you were destined for broadcasting?
“When I was a little boy, and I mean about 10 years old, I knew I was going to be on the air.
The radio was on and there was music and all of a sudden this announcer says, ‘Live! From Hollywood! It’s the Eddie Bracken Show!
“And I didn’t want to be Eddie Bracken. I wanted to be the guy who said, ‘Live, from Hollywood!’
“I never had to worry about school, and boy I was a lousy student. But I knew what I was going to do.’’
How did the road to baseball play-by-play begin?
“I was doing a talk show in Baltimore, an angry general talk show, and I kept putting sports into it, and I got a little bit of a sports rep. And then I started getting some games and it went from there. I got Morgan State football out of that, and I got to New York in ’72, and I had so much play-byplay… finally the Islanders and the Nets. But I never got what I wanted, baseball, until the early ‘80s with Atlanta.’’
What stands out from that 19-inning Mets-Braves game in 1985?
(Braves pitcher Rick Camp extended the game with a homer in the 18th inning, before the Mets eventually won a game that ended at 3:55 a.m.)
‘’Rick Camp was renowned for being the worst-hitting pitcher, and one of my favorite broadcasters, Russ Hodges, used to have a saying, ‘Anyone up there swinging a shillelagh is dangerous.’
“And I said that, and (broadcast partner) Skip Caray said, ‘Obviously, Russ never saw Rick Camp.’ ’’
“The pitch before, I said something like, ‘If Rick Camp hits a home run to tie it, it’ll certify this game as the craziest, wackiest game in history.
“I recall going to the bar with Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy to have one before going to the hotel. It’s the most unusual game I ever broadcast.’’
Do you have a favorite ballpark, past or present?
“The ballpark that I loved more than any other, because I like those kind of nook-and-cranny ballparks that yield a lot of runs, was Ebbets Field. Nowadays, you don’t have to look any further than Yankee Stadium. It’s so majestic. It’s just a great-looking place… and they really succeeded because the ball carries everywhere in the ballpark.
“You’d have to spend the rest of this article writing about all the others I like. I love Pittsburgh, Philly, Cleveland, Seattle, to name a few.’’
Favorite cities?
“Boston, Chicago and Seattle would be my favorites.’’
Your reflections on the streak? (Sterling broadcast 5,060 consecutive Yankees games)
“In my mind, (it goes back to) my first (Atlanta) Hawks (NBA) game (in November 1981). And I didn’t miss a game until mid-July, in 2019.
“Now, they say, ‘Oh, you missed two games in your first year.’ I missed two games, I had to lay my sister to rest (his sister Jane passed away in 1989). I don’t call that missing games. I call that a death in the family.
“So, if other people, if they give me that, I didn’t miss a game from the beginning of November ’81 until mid-July of 2019. Which is phenomenal. But it really doesn’t matter... I mean, who cares? But in truth (including Braves and Hawks games) that’s how long the streak was.’’
Ever come close to being hit by a foul ball before that recent game at Yankee Stadium?
“In Cleveland, in the old ballpark. One night, a lefty-hitting catcher named Ed Taubensee hit a foul ball and it just about parted my hair. A few years later, I met Eddie in the bowels of the Stadium and I told him the story and he said, ‘John, that was the hardest-hit ball I had all year!’
“And I would call the games at Tiger Stadium (notorious for a low booth) without the screen. And nothing ever happened. And then this crazy thing happened, and the resultant publicity was phenomenal, and I didn’t get hurt.
“The ball hit my left eyebrow. I yell, ‘Ow! When people (around me) yell, but after a couple of ‘ows,’ I went right back and broadcast the game, I wasn’t bothered by it. Very lucky.’’
You’re an avid reader, you’ve always been a newspaper guy…
“I wish that New York would have six newspapers again, like they did when I was growing up, and I’d read every one. And they had three baseball teams. And I listened to as many games as I could.’’
Who were some of your broadcasting influences?
“I met Jim Karvellas in Baltimore, we became buddies and I became Uncle John to his two kids. Listening to him, I learned about pacing and a bunch of things; he was probably more important for my broadcasting (development) than anyone else.
“I don’t believe in ‘The Best,’ it has to do with how the (broadcaster) strikes you. So, I loved (Vin) Scully. I knew Scully was great, I thought, before other people did.
“I also liked Mel (Allen) and Russ Hodges, and Bob Prince and Harry Caray. It’s like singers… I respected their differences. And if they were good, I loved them. And it could have been (Perry) Como or Tony Bennett or Nat Cole, Dean Martin. If I don’t love them, I don’t listen.’’
I’ve heard you talk about the DJs you admired, like Jack Lazare at WNEW...
“If I could have achieved my dreams, then, I would have been a disc jockey at WNEW. Now, you have to tell everyone that’s AM (radio). I thought doing a show at WNEW was maybe the greatest thing in the world.’’
You once told Michael Kay on ‘Centerstage’ that your three dinner guests would be Frank Sinatra, Cole Porter and Noel Coward. Why that trio?
“Well, Sinatra, so I could see who he is what he is. Be in his company. And Porter and Coward, they’re so brilliant, so witty — I loved them. I could think of a lot more people. That’s just the three I thought of right away.’’
Which performers struck you, seeing them in person?
I saw Sinatra for the first time in Baltimore. He was great. So was Sammy (Davis Jr.), in Lost Wages (Las Vegas). And I saw Nat Cole in Summer theater in Warwick, Rhode Island. In the round.
The concert opened and he was on the top steps, so he was walking down, and he was singing — and I’ll try to do my best Nat Cole (singing) – ‘This is a lovely way, to spend an evening.’
“Ask me if I was blown away!’’
Your personal style is to dress somewhat formally for radio. Where does that come from?
“It does nothing to put on a jacket, a dress shirt and a tie. It’s very simple. Also, I’m broadcasting the Yankees — I don’t know. It’s not anything I try to do. It’s just something I do.
“It’s like the streak. I never thought about it. I just went to work every day, like you’re supposed to.’’
What do you love about where you live, in Edgewater, New Jersey?
“If you like the four seasons, Bergen County, I think, is the greatest place to live. It’s one terrific all-American town after another, and then if you want to go to New York, to the (Broadway) theater, or whatever… I just think it’s a great place to live.’’
The best part about being a dad?
“I don’t want it to sound corny, but I have four kids who love me as much as they can love a dad. One Christmas they gave me a plaque: Best Dad Ever. They’re good kids and they’re making me very proud of them.”
A few things that come to mind about your long-time broadcast partners, Michael Kay and Suzyn Waldman?
“Michael and Suzyn are going to give their very best, every single time out. Suzyn is one of the greatest reporters I’ve ever seen. She is going to get the story.’’
Any home run calls you particularly enjoyed?
“I loved doing the Bobby Abreu one — ‘El Comedulce. Bobby Abreu, as sweet as candy!’ — because his dad was called the Candy Man. And of course, the ARod one (‘An A-Bomb, by A-Rod!’) and the Robbie Cano one (‘Don’t ya know!’). They were always very requested. And Wayne and Patty Judge (parents of Aaron Judge) just love ‘Judgian Blast.’”
Do you still love the job as much today?
“It really doesn’t matter, win, lose, I love doing the games. (I started at a small station) in way upstate New York, making $60 a week... and isn’t that something that I could still be doing this after 63 years? And I’m very lucky that I sort of, kind of have the same voice.
“I loved the sports, and I could broadcast easily. I had no problem on the air, opening my mouth and talking.’’