NEW YORK — Aaron Judge has an idea for a new Yankee Stadium tradition, and it's one that would make the late John Sterling smile. Following the final out of a series sweep against the Orioles, Sterling's familiar call that punctuated Yankees wins was played over the ballpark's public-address system. Judge hopes that becomes a permanent fixture: Sterling's voice booming "Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theee Yankees win!" before the first notes of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York."
"I think it'd be a nice little tip of the cap to John and what he meant — so much to this franchise and this fan base. I think it would be pretty cool," Judge said after the Yankees routed Baltimore 12-1 to complete a four-game sweep on the day of their famous broadcaster's death.
The moment carried extra weight. After a pregame tribute to Sterling, who died at age 87, Judge put New York ahead in the first inning with his major league-leading 14th homer and added a two-run single in the eighth for a four-RBI night. As he circled the bases after his two-run drive off Shane Baz, he thought of the home run call Sterling coined for him: "A Judgian blast! All rise! Here comes the Judge!"
"Definitely seeing that tribute hit home because he loved the Yankees," Judge said. "He loved this team. He loved this franchise. He loved the fans. He loved everybody he talked to on a nightly basis. So to do that there in the first, just kind of was chuckling around the bases thinking what he was probably saying."
Sterling called games on radio broadcasts from 1989 to 2024, becoming as much a part of Yankees lore as the pinstripes themselves. His signature call was more than just words—it was a soundtrack for generations of fans. Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed before the game he's been paying tribute to Sterling in the dugout for a couple of years by yelling "Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theee Yankees win!" before starting handshakes. This time, fans also bellowed along as the PA system sounded Sterling's baritone at raised decibels.
"It drowned me out a little bit, happily," Boone said.
Like Judge, he hopes Sterling's voice at the end becomes routine. "Yeah, I'd love it," the manager said. "Right on into Frank."
Judge leads the majors with six first-inning homers this year and has 91 in his career, trailing only Babe Ruth's 126 and M