Saturday, April 6, 2013

Love them or hate them: The John Sterling home-run calls

imageEver since 1989, John Sterling has been in the broadcast booth calling Yankees games through thick and thin. He's entertaining, he's interesting and one of the few radio announcers I can turn to when it's time to mute a FOX game. One of the reasons that I enjoy listening to Sterling is for his inventive and interesting home-run calls. His home-run calls are one of those staples that are needed to be memorized by every Yankees fan. Over the years, he has created home-run calls that cannot be forgotten. Remember Bernie William's famous home-run call "Bern Baby Bern" or Tino Martinez's "Bam-Tino?" Yep, that was John Sterling's entertaining mind. When a new Yankee hits a home-run, fans turn and ask "What's John Sterling's home-run call for this player?" Well, being the John Sterling radio fanatic that I am, I compiled a list of some of our favorite New York Yankees home-run calls for the players on the current team. (that includes our new Yankees brethren as well).


Brett GardnerBrett Gardner has two home-run calls, depending of the mood that John Sterling is. Personally, I love hearing them both since Gardner rarely hits HR's. The first one is fun to say because he went yard, yet the second one is a pun on his last name 'Gardner' which is an actual word.


1) "Gardy goes Yardy!"


2) "Gardner plants one in the (left or right) field seats!"


Ichiro SuzukiIchiro's home-run call. I felt like John Sterling could have been more inventive with Ichiro's home-run call, but it is what it is.


"Ichiro, the Yankees rising son, says sayonara."


Curtis GrandersonThe second home-run call is one of my favorites. The first one is a pun on his last name, but the second one you get to sing! Every time Granderson goes to bat, I find myself singing it. I can't wait to start singing it when Granderson comes back from the DL.


1) "Isn't he something sort of Grand-ish?"


2) "Oh, the Grandyman Can! Oh, the Grandyman can!"


Derek JeterDerek Jeter is the captain of the Yankees, so his home-run call is rather fitting.


"El Capitan."


Mark TeixeiraMark Teixeria is another one of those Yankees that has two home run calls. I actually enjoy the first one more since it's a pun on getting a  text message. (And I like to look at my smartphone and ask why haven't I got a 'Tex' Message yet when he goes to the plate).


1) "Mark sends a Tex Message to the (left or right) field seats!


2) "You're on the Mark, Teixeira"


Alex Rodriguez: Everyone knows A-Rod's HR call. It's not a secret.


"An A-Bomb for A-Rod."


Robinson CanoIf I were John Sterling, I would trademark this home-run call. It's became a very popular saying among Yankees fans.


"Robbie Cano, Don't Ya Know!"


Francisco CervelliI personally am a sucker for this home-run call. It simply reminds me of food.


"Cisco the Kid Cerv's one up!"


Travis HafnerAll right, I love John Sterling and all but...this call was L-A-M-E! It lacks the magic. Did Sterling figure that he wasn't going to be a Yankee past this season and gave him a home-run call that was sad yet lame?


1) "The Pronx Bomber."


2) "A Hafner Homer."


Vernon WellsSo Vernon Wells has two HR calls that are slightly better than Travis Hafner's. Wells's walk-up song may be awesome...but his HR call is something that's almost cringe-worthy.


1) "The Bronx is Vernon."


2) "Wells rings the bells."


Kevin YoukilisSo all of my favorite things in life has to have carbon copies of something? My favorite T.V show has carbon copies of the original characters and Kevin Youkilis's HR call is a carbon copy of Alex Rodriguez's.


"A Nuke for Youk."


Yeah, that was really inventive.


Yep, we may love them and we may hate them but the John Sterling HR calls are iconic to the Yankees. When a new Yankee hits a home-run, you never know what call John Sterling could come up with.


14 comments:

  1. Kevin aka RobbinsDynasty of Draft2DynastyApril 6, 2013 at 8:34 AM

    Missed "The Pronx Bomber" for Hafner

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  2. Added it to the article. Thanks. :)

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  3. was there one for Ibanez?

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  4. I only did it on the players that were currently on the team. But I did love Ibanez's HR call. :)

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  5. Kevin aka RobbinsDynasty of Draft2DynastyApril 6, 2013 at 9:54 AM

    I'm waiting for when Tyler Austin makes his way up. Should sould something like thing. "YEAH Baby YEAH. TYLER AUSTIN powers one outta here." Or similar

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  6. It's funny, "Austin Powers one out of here" was for Austin Kearns, but I loved that one so I wouldn't mind if Sterling recycled that one. :)

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  7. If only he could accurately describe the game without butchering every call

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  8. maybe he needs thicker glasses, or some binoculars strapped to his face so he can see what's going on on the field. just awful.

    then again, i'm watching the LA/PIT game right now and LA's announcer makes you want to put your feet in a fire just to stay awake. at least sterling keeps you rolling with his comical failures.

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  9. You may be too young to remember Rizzuto in the booth at the end. Like Sterling, his eyesight and judgement were brutal but he was always entertaining and it was easy to put up with because he was a TV announcer - thus you could see the play yourself. Sterling butchering calls frustrates the shit out of me on the radio because we rely on him as our eyes. I was listening to the game on Friday in the car and he butchered back to back calls. First was Youkilis' long HR....he made it sound like a can of corn to Left field then said oh......it's gone. He didn't even make his HR call because he didn't realize it even had a chance to be a HR until seconds later. Then the next batter Hafner....he got all excited and said Hafner rips one deep to right that lands in there for extra bases.....then 2 seconds later, oh it went foul. C'mon man!

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  10. yep...it's as if sterling doesn't understand the concept of radio and thinks the audience knows whats going on from play to play.

    wasn't that rizzuto that worked the booth in the WPIX broadcast days?

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  11. Jimmy...
    Yes, that was him, he also worked on Yes if I remember right.
    Rizzuto was very funny and had more story's of his playing days and the players, He liked everyone and everyone liked him. I don't think he ever said a bad word about any of those he played with, just a very nice person and the butt of many, many jokes for a lot of years.
    One of the best SS the Yankees have ever had for his day, he and Billy Martin were the best clutch hitters around and his MVP in 1950(?) was well-earned and deserved! He was the MVP on a team that had 10 (I think) HoF players on it. Now that alone, tells the story of Phil Rizzuto!

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  12. Whats up Kevin, have you been going to the tampa games? If so, how did Mitchell look on Opening Day?

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  13. i do vaguely remember him then. maybe i can find some old audio or video to cue up and spark my memory.

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  14. Jimmy..
    Just keep the information coming about the kids. You done done got id don guod! :)

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)