Rickie Ricardo (bornJorge Lima Jr. inNewark, New Jersey) is a Spanish- and English-language sportscaster, talk show host, and voice-over actor. He calls games in Spanish for theNew York Yankees, thePhiladelphia Eagles, and thePhiladelphia Phillies. He also hosts programs related to these teams.
Ricardo attended broadcasting school with the intention of being adisc jockey. He metFrankie Crocker inMiami Beach; after a successful audition, Crocker gave him his nickname and Ricardo started a midday shift onWBLS in 1981.[1] Crocker also introduced Ricardo toRick James; James later made Ricardo hismaster of ceremonies for six years.[2]
In 1992, at New York'sWSKQ-FM, Ricardo helped to create and name the "Mega" brand targeted at bilingual Hispanic listeners.[1]
After the Florida Marlins (nowMiami Marlins) dumped many of their stars in afire sale after winning the2003 World Series, the club sought Ricardo's help to attract young Latino fans. He started doing Spanish-languageplay-by-play as a fill-in in2005. The next year he started broadcastingPhiladelphia Phillies games in Spanish. He also hosted an English-languagesports talk show onWIP-FM inPhiladelphia which led to him becoming theEagles' Spanish-language announcer onWEMG.[1] From June 20 to 22, 2022, during a Yankees road series at theTampa Bay Rays, Ricardo filled in forJohn Sterling on the Yankees' English-language play-by-play radio call onWFAN-AM.[3]
Mark Chernoff, program director of WFAN, hired Ricardo in 2014 to be the Spanish radio voice of theNew York Yankees on sister stationWADO.[1] Ricardo is credited along with WFAN salesman Joe Rojas for growing Spanish-language ad sales on Yankee games from just over $300,000 to nearly $2 million between 2014 and 2017.[2]
Ricardo cites as his sportscasting influencesJon Miller, English-language voice of theSan Francisco Giants, andFelo Ramírez, Spanish-language voice of the Marlins.[4]
In football, Ricardo is known for his calls following successful and unsuccessfulfield goals. AfterJake Elliott's 61-yard game-ending field goal helped the Eagles defeat theNew York Giants in 2017, Ricardo said¡Sí, señor! (Yes, sir!) five times.[1] WhenCody Parkey kicked the infamousDouble Doink, a blocked field goal that caused the Eagles to defeat theChicago Bears and advance in the2018–19 NFL playoffs, he shouted¡No, señor! six times in a call that went viral.[4][5][6]
Ricardo is ofCuban ancestry. He is engaged to Maria "Macu" Berral, asideline reporter for Eagles broadcasts who also covers the team forTelemundo.[1]
Ricardo lives inEdgewater, New Jersey. On September 1, 2021, after a Yankees game called remotely fromYankee Stadium, Yankees broadcasterJohn Sterling (also an Edgewater resident) was stranded in his car by flooding followingHurricane Ida. Ricardo was driving hisJeep Cherokee home and rescued Sterling, driving both home safely.[7]