R.I.P. Yogi Berra

[JavaMan]

Yogi Berra, one of baseball’s greatest catchers and characters, who as a player was a mainstay of 10 Yankee championship teams and as a manager led both the Yankees and Mets to the World Series — but who may be more widely known as an ungainly but lovable cultural figure, inspiring a cartoon character and issuing a seemingly limitless supply of unwittingly witty epigrams known as Yogi-isms — died on Tuesday. He was 90.

Yogi, Casey, and Mickey; spanning the generations, spanning the leagues, back in the day!​

 

[HGN]

R.I.P. Yogi......One of my all time favorite Yankee players.

 

[Dougie]

"Any ballplayer that needs to go to a psychiatrist ought to have his head examined".

You gave us so much more than baseball Yogi.

 

[jdubct]

I rooted against the Yankees, but rooted for Yogi Berra. He and Casey Stengel were a wonderful pair.

 

[Kibitzer]

"It ain't over 'til it's over."

Now, sad to say, for Yogi it's over.

R.I.P.

 

[meyers7]

"If you come to a fork in the road, take it." He took it. RIP Yogi. Thanks for the smiles.

 

[Intpseeker]

Yogi played in New London while stationed at the Sub Base in Groton.

He will be missed.

 

[Intpseeker]

Remember Yogi's words: "I didn't really say everything I said."

 

[JavaMan]

The Yogi and The Kid; together again.

__________________________________________________
​

So how did Lawrence Peter Berra become Yogi Berra? Did his parents call him Yogi as child? Did he pick it up in school? Nope, and nope. He didn't become Yogi until he was a grown man playing baseball ...according to Wikipedia anyway:

"He began playing baseball in local American Legion leagues, where he learned the basics of catching while playing outfield and infield positions as well. Berra also played for a Cranston, Rhode Island team under an assumed name. While playing in American Legion baseball, he received his famous nickname from his friend Bobby Hofman who said he resembled a Hindu yogi whenever he sat around with arms and legs crossed waiting to bat or while looking sad after a losing game."

Who knew?

Also, Yogi once held, if he still doesn't, more records in major league baseball than any other individual ...all while standing the same height as our MoJeff at only 5'7". Just remarkable! What is the average height in the majors these days?

 

[Bigpetunia]

I know it seems strange and paradoxical, but I often think similarly of Yogi Berra and Louie Armstrong. Both were the most extraordinary practitioners of the arts for which they became famous, but both, partly because of appearance, and partly because of the nature of their out-sized personalities, ultimately became almost caricatures of themselves...so much so that their individual "legends" came to almost obscure how great they truly were at what they did! Ah, Yogi, thanks for the memories!!

 

[JavaMan]

I know it seems strange and paradoxical, but I often think similarly of Yogi Berra and Louie Armstrong. Both were the most extraordinary practitioners of the arts for which they became famous, but both, partly because of appearance, and partly because of the nature of their out-sized personalities, ultimately became almost caricatures of themselves...so much so that their individual "legends" came to almost obscure how great they truly were at what they did! Ah, Yogi, thanks for the memories!!

Pops was/is one of my favs also. I never thought of them as similar, but, you're right, they are. I was elated when my daughter choose Satchmo's rendition of "What A Wonderful World" as the music for the father daughter dance at her wedding. And, I now hear that song often ...for I have chosen it as the ringtone on my phone for whenever my daughter calls. Lucky me!

 

[cohenzone]

RIP one of the greats and a true original. I saw him play in person several times. He was a symbol of the joy of sport in a time before the players got to share in the owners wealth.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Yogi was an American institution. He was a clutch player, a diminutive power hitter, along with Roberto Clemente probably the best bad-ball hitter. He'll be remembered for many things, including leaping onto Don Larsen after the perfect game. Everyone loved Yogi. He'll be missed. RIP.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Always a fan. Remember him more from his coaching / managing days than his playing days, but always knew how great he was as a player.

Does anyone remember he spent time as a coach with Houston when they wore those absolutely horrible uniforms with the colors? I always wondered what he thought, after wearing the classic uniforms of the Yankees, and yes, even the Mets.

 

[alexrgct]

"No one goes to that restaurant anymore because it's too crowded."

Sometimes, there is truth in paradox, not just in Yogi-isms.

RIP, Yogi. The pride of the Yankees marches on with you...

 

[Bonpland]

Yogi was an American institution. He was a clutch player, a diminutive power hitter, along with Roberto Clemente probably the best bad-ball hitter. He'll be remembered for many things, including leaping onto Don Larsen after the perfect game. Everyone loved Yogi. He'll be missed. RIP.

Like everyone else I admire so much more about the man than just baseball. I was raised as non-Yankee fan but after the Dodgers and the Giants left Town and before the Mets in '62, our school trips to baseball games were exclusively to Yankee Stadium. In '60 (I think) I saw Yogi turn a pitch that Frank Baumann (a lefty) threw down and away into a towering fly (I told everyone for years that it was twice as high as the Stadium. At twelve it sure seemed that it went that high) that landed in the Yankee bullpen and then bounced off the concrete about as high as the second deck.

The amazing thing about it was that Yogi had "golfed" it from about six inches off the ground. I noticed it at the time, but the reason I remember it so clearly is that the adults who were with us didn't stop talking about how he had hit a pitch that was "unhittable". He wasn't opposed to clubbing one that was up in the strike zone either.

He's remembered by most now as an endearing character but he was quite an old-school ballplayer in his day. It's sad to see him go.

 

[j66kicker]

"In theory, theory is the same as reality. In reality...."

Only player with 10 World Series rings - RIP Yogi

 

[wire chief]

Passing of the (not Mickey) Mantle. Today a NY Times writer anoints Whitey Ford as
Yogi's most famous replacement among living ex-Yankees.