R.I.P. Yogi Berra

Lawrence “Yogi” Berra, perhaps the second most beloved player in New York Yankees history behind Babe Ruth, passed away on September 22nd at age 90.

Berra, whose malapropisms like “it’s déjà vu all over again” and “when you get to a fork in the road, take it” became standard fare in the English lexicon, spent his entire playing career (1946 to 1963) with the Yankees except for four games with the New York Mets in 1965, where he was a coach under his old Yankees manager Casey Stengel. An outstanding defensive catcher, Berra was also one of the best at his position hitting as well with a lifetime average of .285 with 348 home runs and 1430 runs batted in. He was a three time American League MVP and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

Berra played on 14 American League pennant winners and 10 World Series champions. Those numbers are almost unbelievable.  He coached and managed in the big leagues after his playing days were over, winning pennants with the 1964 Yankees and 1973 Mets.

A native of St. Louis, Berra was the son of Italian immigrants. He served in the Navy in World War II, and was a machine gunner on a navy support vessel in the Allied invasion on D-Day.