Lawrence Peter Berra, better known by baseball fans as Yogi Berra, might just be one of the most beloved figures in the game. Sep. 22 will mark the first anniversary of his death, but today Berra is far from forgotten.
When Berra was a teenager, a friend said that he looked like a yogi after the screening of a movie with Hindu elements. The nickname stuck from then on.
The Yankees catcher climbed the ranks through the minor leagues before becoming one of the most revered hitters in history. According to his page on the MLB’s Baseball Hall of Fame, Berra played a total of 7,555 games with 2,150 overall hits. He was named American League MVP three times, won 10 World Series and was an All-Star Player 15 times. After Berra left the field as a player, he remained manager for the Yankees and the Mets.
Berra was more than just a great player. He was beloved by the public for his funny and giving personality. Berra quit school when he was in the eighth grade and served in the military during World War II.
He was known for trying to jar hitters while they were at bat. During the 1958 World Series, Berra supposedly repeatedly told opposing player Hank Aaron to hit with the label to bat facing up. Berra’s somewhat nonsensical sayings that have been coined “Yogi-isms” are regularly quoted by the public. According to the MLB Baseball Hall of Fame, the most famous Yogi-ism might be “it ain’t over til it’s over.”
According to The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center’s website, one aspect of Berra’s personality often admired is the way he didn’t compromise what he wanted. When Berra first tried out for a baseball team in St. Louis, he refused an offer from Branch Rickey because he felt he wasn’t offered a contract he deserved. He refused to return to Yankee stadium after being fired mid-season by owner George Steinbrenner. It wasn’t until 14 years later that Berra returned to the stadium with his wife to receive and accept an apology from Steinbrenner.
The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center at Montclair State University in New Jersey is a nonprofit organization that was created in Berra’s honor. Their mission is to promote respect, sportsmanship and social justice through year-round student programs.
Although this might not be a Yogi-ism, it might be safe to say when speaking about Berra that we won’t forget what we still remember.
