The Cleveland Guardians have a rich history that extends far beyond what happens on the field, and everything that happens on the field is amplified by what happens in the booth. Great announcers can make every moment feel special, and this franchise has been fortunate enough to have quite a few of those over the years.
The current TV and radio booths have been at the helm for decades, and as great as they all are, they all had big shoes to fill. John Sanders was one of the greats during his tenure with the Guardians from 1991-2006, and unfortunately, he passed away.
The Guardians’ account shared the news and reminded fans of how great his 16 years in the booth were. Sanders was 83, and no cause of death has been mentioned.
“The Cleveland Guardians mourn the loss of longtime sportscaster, John Sanders who served as a play-by-play announcer for Cleveland from 1991-2006,” the Guardians posted.
The Cleveland Guardians mourn the loss of longtime sportscaster, John Sanders who served as a play-by-play announcer for Cleveland from 1991-2006. pic.twitter.com/lS9LJPFCJ3
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 11, 2026
Sanders was the voice of the team through all the incredible years of the late 90s with color commentator Rick Manning by his side. He was in the booth for the run to the 1997 World Series and it’s a shame fans didn’t get to hear his voice announcing a championship.
He was the voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates throughout the 80s before leaving to join the Guardians. Unfortunately, his contract wasn’t renewed in 2006 as SportsTime Ohio elected to go with fewer voices on the broadcasts. After leaving the Guardians, he went on to call a lot of Big East basketball games, but never got back to baseball.
Sanders leaves behind two daughters with his wife, Cherie, who also passed last year. Guardians Nation wishes his family the best and encourages all fans to go pull up some highlights of those late 90s teams in his honor, because his voice and impact will last forever and will always be there for the fans whenever they want to hear him again.
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