Yogi Berra was one of the greatest catchers in major league baseball history. If not the greatest- many chose Johnny Bench as the greatest- he is certainly on the Mount Rushmore of Greatest Catchers Ever. Sometimes it seems he is more known and remembered for his malapropisms than for his actual play on the field. As a player Yogi made 13 All-Star Games and was the MVP of the American League three times- 1951, 1954 and 1955. Playing for the dynasty that was the New York Yankees he was a key part of 10 World Series Champions. The highest tribute to Yogi possibly came from his manager Casey Stengel who once said “I never play a big game without my man.” He wasn’t talking about Mickey Mantle- he was talking about Yogi. To look at Yogi- he certainly didn’t have the look of a great or even good ballplayer. He was 5’7″ 185. In baseball sometimes looks can be deceiving. Yogi is the classic example.
I will start this series of- Wisdom From A Yogi- with perhaps his most famous saying.
‘IT AIN’T OVER TILL ITS OVER”
Attended some Yankees games in the late forties and 50s via bus trips from South Jersey…
that would have been awesome- old yankee stadium and all those greats..
Yes…listened to every game of the 1961 assault on the Ruthian home run record by Mantle-Maris…
He was a train of great sayings, that’s for sure… and “smarter than the ave-er-age bear!”… oh, that was another Yogi! I didn’t really know he was that good a catcher… good yes, but wasn’t quite aware he was ‘best of generation’ type but looks like he was from his numbers.
i think his image hurts him- people think of the personality- the sayings- and not the player.
i suspect you’re right about that.
One of the few Yankees I don’t hate. He was a genius who hid behind a dumb facade.
good point- i think it is always best to have people underestimate you..
He is one of my favorite philosophers.
same here!
A post I did for my first A to Z Challenge:
I write about a story Yogi told that was classic Yogi….
I always wondered how many he came up with and how many was attributed to him… I would say most he did come up with.
as Yogi said- ” I didn’t say half the things I said.’– I think his friend Joe Garagiola is responsible for a lot of the things Yogi said.
Yes Joe was quite a character also…not as out there but a character all the same.
I think when they were young Joe was considered a better prospect for a little while at least.
I didn’t know that. He was built more like a ball player…
The one and only Yogi
Im tuned in.