R.I.P Yogi.
Here’s the obit I wrote for SI:
Yogi. It’s hard not to smile when you hear his name. You might think of his goofy mug, with the crooked smile that looked as if it had been ripped from the funny pages. Then there’s the oddly-shaped wrestler’s body—squat torso, long arms—that inspired his first Yankees manager to call him “the Ape.” And of course then there were the malapropisms, some authentic, others invented by sportswriters, which he delivered in a monotone sprinkled with the flat A’s of his Midwestern roots.
If anyone didn’t like Yogi Berra, it could only have been someone who played on the teams he helped beat so relentlessly for 19 seasons. Then again, many of his opponents and their fans echoed the sentiments of my father, whose love for the Brooklyn Dodgers was matched only by his hatred of the Yankees: Once, when I asked him if he hated Yogi, Dad looked at me with incredulity. “How can you hate Yogi?”
As Mickey Mantle said, “He was the guy who made the Yankees almost seem human.”
Photo Via: N.Y. Times
WWII veteran. 14 WS rings, ten as a player. Hall of Famer. Beloved by all yet had a life-long marriage.
Sad to see him go, but we all do, and most wish to have such a life.
He certainly enjoyed life. He always seemed to have this young spirit about him, even in his advanced age. Definitely a charming life to be celebrating today. Rest in peace, Yogi.
"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too." Amen, Yogi. Words to live by.
And on top of everything else, he was on one of the gunboats on June 6.
We happened to be in Cooperstown on a Thursday before induction weekend about 7-8 years ago. Already, baseball greats were organized for the paid autograph sessions. At the time, we didn't known that this kind of stuff happened. My son, around 14 made a beeline to Yogi who had just sat down at a table. Before I could catch up, Yogi is snarling at the organizer; "let me shake this kids hand" and I was able to take a picture. Genuine warmth for my son, and he and Yogi just smiled at each other. An indelible memory, as Yogi is forever our Yankee Grandpa (although he is the same age as my mother).
A champion the mostest...
Late on the link but I've just updated the post to include the obit I wrote on Yogi for SI. Dig it.
Of all the mornings that have ever brought news like this... Scooter, Clipper, Mick, Billy, all the way back to Elston Howard... this was the first time that my reaction included: They're gone. My god, they're all gone.
I know there is no clear, clean line of demarcation -- and in particular I mean no disrespect to people like Whitey Ford or Don Larsen when I say this. But that was how my brain processed it.
Book excerpt on his WWII service that included details I'd never seen:
(Go to where this link takes you then scroll up a few pages to begin reading - I don't know how to adjust the landing point.)
https://books.google.com/books?id=jioUaBmS8FcC&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=yogi+berra+marseilles&source=bl&ots=bO3a1mE7VF&sig=7FwTSQcOWucU-3iyswh4V5gSkrs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBGoVChMI0tnwuq6NyAIVwYkNCh3vmAH4#v=onepage&q=yogi%20berra%20marseilles&f=false
[6] Brilliantly done, AB. Thanks for sharing it.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I am having a hard time resisting quoting Yogi all day. I think I am going to give up trying.
Amazing obit, AB. A keeper.
[9], [10] re [6] - Hear hear.
Good stuff, Alex. So long Yogi.
Thank you guys. I'm a plodder as a writer and spent a long time on that. That obituary writing is some kind of skill. I'm a great admirer of people who do it well. It ain't easy.
Two thoughts.
First, I think all of us feel just a title bit older today.
Second, on this holiest day of the year, we celebrate the life of perhaps the most universally beloved and respected man in all of sports.
Really nice obit piece for Yogi. A lot said in an economy of prose.
Al, That obituary would make Yogi proud.
I will miss him very much. To have touched so many and have such a great heart and warm smile is most admirable.
So much class. I loved how he used to kid Jeter about rings, and how he mentioned of the Red Sox, "We always beat these guys."
There are people in life that we only know of their public persona and they are beloved. Yogi is on that list.
I hope you are giving the Big Stein the business in heaven today.
i've always been a big yogi fan. i have a book and dvd i dig. i saw this late last night and it's super sad...but what a life! and his legend will live forever and a day.
i'm glad i'll be at the stadium tomorrow night to pay respects. i hope to be there on time to take part in the moment of silence for him.
So sad.
RIP, Yogi.
It's gotten late early.
[7] Mine too.
He was born the same year as my dad. And he died the same year as my dad.
"Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours."
Nice obit Alex. I was fortunate enough to see him in his prime. Damn he was good. He didn't care about anything except winning. He gave up at bats when the team was winning because he wanted to get home.
I really did not like GS and was happy when Yogi stood up to him. He was a great American and one of a kind.
Of course I never saw Yogi play but the quote that gave me the deepest sense of what he was like as a player came from Don Newcombe, who said, “Every pitch I threw to him I wanted back.” I just love that.