A longtime Yankees broadcaster who died at 87 was honored with a pregame tribute, and his final call echoed through the stadium after the Yankees’ 12-1 win over Baltimore to complete a four-game sweep.

He broadcast 5,060 consecutive games from 1989 to 2019 and became a storied part of Yankees identity through signature calls for players such as Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi and Hideki Matsui.

He called 5,420 regular-season games and 211 postseason games before retiring in 2024, briefly returning for the 2024 postseason.

He began his radio career in Wellsville, New York in 1960 and cited influences including Mel Allen, Russ Hodges and Jim Karvellas.

The article attributes the reporting to Mark Heim, senior writer and sports columnist, noting his broader career in sports media.

Initial reports and reaction to his death were carried by outlets such as ABC7 New York, AP News, MLB.com, Sports Business Journal and the New York Post.

A native New Yorker, he was a father of four who balanced a long broadcasting career with regional and national recognition.

He resided in Edgewater, New Jersey, after previously living in Teaneck; a 2015 fire displaced him from the Avalon at Edgewater complex.

His approach and style were distinctly unique, inspired by Harry Caray yet clearly his own, a point he emphasized as peers recognized his voice.

Sterling described his style as distinctive and credited inspiration from peers like Harry Caray, noting their differences but shared effectiveness.

He highlighted that even contemporaries acknowledged his one-of-a-kind broadcasting approach.

His old-school style stood out in an era of smartphones and digital media, as he read physical newspapers and wore formal attire to games.