Legendary sports broadcaster John Sterling passed away on Monday at 87.

Sterling died on 4 May, about a week after suffering heart failure, theNew York Times reported. WFAN Sports Radio confirmed the news in an announcement, but did not disclose the cause of death. Sterling is survived by his ex-wife, Jennifer Contreras, and their four children, Bradford, Derek, Veronica, and Abigail.

We are devastated to hear about the passing of John Sterling, a WFAN and Yankees radio icon whose voice was synonymous with an entire generation of Yankee fandom.Rest in peace, John ❤️pic.twitter.com/BF267gPGnJ

Sterling's run as the New York Yankees' radio correspondent spanned over three decades and five World Series wins. His inimitable delivery and iconic catchphrases defined the sport, eventually inducting him into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.

'John Sterling breathed life and excitement into Yankees games for 36 years while wearing his passion for baseball and the Yankees on his sleeve.' The baseball team said in astatement. 'He informed and entertained generations of fans with a theatrical and unapologetic style that was uniquely his own.'

The Yankees mourn the loss of legendary broadcaster John Sterling. Our thoughts are with John’s family, friends and loved ones at this time.pic.twitter.com/1rCeRC1D61

Sterling called 5,631 Yankees games throughout his career, including 5,420 regular-season games and 211 postseason games, before retiring in April 2024. He also covered 5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 to July 2019.

Known for his legendary home run catch phrases, Sterling coined Derek Jeter's 'It's a Jeter jolt!', Alex Rodriguez's 'It's an A-bomb from A-Rod!', Hideki Matsui's 'A thrilla from Godzilla!', Jason Giambi's 'The Giambino!' and 'Bernie goes boom! Bern, baby, Bern!' for Bernie Williams, among many others.

Well, John, we thank you.pic.twitter.com/qjo70UJkiB

'It wasn't meant [to be a catchphrase],' Sterling explained, perABC News. 'I just happened to do something for Bernie Williams. He hit a home run and I said, "Bern, baby, Bern!" And it kind of mushroomed from there. But it never was intended for every player, because, frankly, I'm not smart enough to do something for every player. But I did the best I could, and it's amazing what started out as, became so big.'

Source: International Business Times UK