NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hopes for a new Bronx tradition: John Sterling's voice booming “Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theee Yankees win!” around Yankee Stadium after victories, just before the first strains of Frank Sinatra crooning “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 on Monday night to complete a four-game sweep on the day of their famous broadcaster's death.
Following the final out, Sterling's familiar call that punctuated Yankees wins was played over the ballpark’s public-address system.
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.
Sterling called games on radio broadcasts from 1989 to 2024. As Judge 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.”
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 Mickey Mantle’s 103 among Yankees. The home run was Judge’s 53rd in 124 games against the Orioles.
“It’s a pretty good advantage to have that guy coming up in the first inning for you,” Boone said.
Judge, who was tied for the major league home run lead by Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox later Monday, is batting .272 with 27 RBIs.
Coming off his first batting title last season, when his average was .427 through April, Judge slumped early this year and was hitting .212 with three homers and seven RBIs after his first 14 games. Since then, the three-time AL MVP is batting .329 with 11 homers and 20 RBIs in 21 games.
“Even if I’m hitting .400 in April, I’m tinkering with something new every single day. It could be something subtle with hands or feet, the sights, approach," Judge said. “When you stink, you’re trying to get better. When you’re doing well, you're also trying to get better.”
Like all Yankees, Judge had a cap with Sterling's “JS” initials stitched onto the back. At the behest of the Yankees front office, a Bronx vendor quickly sewed the tribute.
“I thought it was a nice little touch for John,” Judge said.
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