Atlanta Braves fans have very strong feelings about their broadcasters. Brandon Gaudin and CJ Nitkowski are still pretty new, but are generally well-received by fans. Before that, we had Chip Caray and Joe Simpson who were...polarizing, to say the least. If you go back further, you have Braves icons like Skip Caray, Don Sutton, Pete Van Wieren, and Ernie Johnson Sr., who all still have very avid and devoted fans. However, one voice of the Braves moved over to the hated Yankees to build his legacy, and the baseball world just lost him.
Many younger Braves fans may not remember that John Sterling was a Braves broadcaster from 1982 to 1987 on both radio and TV, but they certainly remember his tenure as the Yankees' lead broadcaster for decades. In a business that chews up and spits out most broadcasters, Sterling was a giant alongside Vin Scully.
After finally deciding to embrace a well-earned retirement in 2024, which included cameo appearances during the Yankees' World Series run, Sterling remained connected to New York with his radio show and sporadic appearances. Sadly, Sterling did not get to enjoy retirement for as long as one would hope, as he passed away on Monday at the age of 87.
Former Braves broadcaster and baseball legend John Sterling has passed away
In a lot of ways, this feels very unfair. Despite leaving Atlanta for a strictly inferior organization, Sterling was a legend and a true grinder. From 1989 to 2019, Sterling called 5,060 consecutive Yankees games. To put that in context, that is just shy of Skip Caray's TOTAL tenure calling Braves games, and Sterling called games before and after that streak. Just insane.
If there was any justice, Sterling would have been able to enjoy his time away from baseball a bit longer. Unfortunately, Sterling dealt with health problems in recent years, including a heart attack earlier in 2026. However, no one can say that he didn't live a long, very well-lived life.
Our thoughts go out to Sterling's family and friends, as well as Yankees fans right now. The Braves and Yankees may be rivals with a long history, but that doesn't mean we can't take a moment to appreciate one of the best broadcasters ever, who also happens to be a bridge between the two franchises.
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