Sterling Shafted

OK, I know there's not much baseball talk going on in New York right now. The most recent headlines were made when San Francisco Giants and ESPN baseball broadcaster John Miller received the Ford C. Frick Award and will be enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown this summer. I have a lot of respect for John Miller, and despite his obnoxious "SAAAAFE!" call, he's a lot better than his partner Joe Morgan, who doesn't do much other than talk about the Big Red Machine. Maybe Miller deserves to be there, but John Sterling was not even one of the final nominees.

Most people that do not listen to him regularly make fun of him. But John Sterling is an icon, whose ridiculous shouting and nicknames have made him almost as famous as the Yankees. Be honest Yankees fans: When the Yankees have a huge victory, a walk-off, or even just a dramatic homer, do you not race to the radio to hear the post-game show just for Sterling's highlights? My first Sterling moment came after attending Game 1 of the 1996 American League Championship series. That's right, the Jeffrey Maier game. After Bernie Williams' walk-off, extra-inning bomb, my father insisted that we race to the parking lot to hear Sterling's highlight. I couldn't really understand why until for the first time ever, I heard his "BERN, BABY, BERN" call, along with "THHHHEEEEE YANKEES WIN!"

Let's also discuss the fact that Sterling is downright hilarious. Is Wikipedia correct in stating that his real name is Harold Moskowitz? Who knows? Who cares? It adds to the hilarity of the phenomenon that is John Sterling. He manages to put an enjoyable broadcast on the air night in and night out, despite his cackling color commentator (JAWN!) The guy includes show tunes when the game is boring, complains outright if the game is taking too long, and laughs at his own jokes before he is able to get them out.

Everything I just described to you might sound like a poor sportscaster if you do not know who I am talking about. But John Sterling is someone I look forward to hearing every night, much more than any local or national television announcer. When you get some time, head over to YouTube and search for "The Sterling Shake." You'll see why I'm saying this guy deserves to be in Cooperstown. Maybe next year he and John Miller can stand back to back (and belly to belly).