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Home , Charlie Silvera, Jack Buck, Yogi Berra

PERSONALITY PROFILE By David Brandenburg, Golf Course , RollingMeadows Golf Course

he recent closing of Yankee In 1946 Yogiwas apprenticed to TStadium and the the Newark Bears of the playoff season reminded me of the I~tern~tional League before begin- great players baseball has seen rung his career with the Yankees over the years. It is easy to know later that year. He joined the team the great ones contributions to the as a platoon with Aaron game and their life after baseball Robinson, and Gus but often we forget or don't find Niarhos. the time to look up what got them Immediately and throughout his there. Who are these guys and how career Yogi was known as a wild were they made? swinger and a tough out. He could AB we get older we look back at get hits from balls at this feet or at the decisions we made in our his eyebrows. who youth, the challenges and success competed against Berra as a we had and how that molded us catch~r said "He is the toughest ~to the people we are today. I have man ill baseball in the last three picked to highlight the life of team. He never had the chance. innings." Berra proved this best in Lawrence Peter "Yogi"Berra after Soon the had 1950 when he only struck out 12 seeing him run onto Yankee of!ered the $500 and Yogi signed times in 597 at bats. Stadium for the last time this week. WIth them to start a long relation- Yogi was also known a talking Often Berra is remembered for ship with the fans of New York.Yogi catcher mainly to try and disturb his Yog-isms or funny commer- was assigned to the Norfolk Tars of the concentration of the batter. cials. But this Hall of Fame the. Class. B Piedmont League. Stats are great but don't tell the Catcher has lived a full life. Born in While ~t PIedmont, Yogi had per- entire story of Berra's heart and a primarily Italian neighborhood haps his most productive game abilities. As a fielder, Berra was called 'The Hill" in St. Louis to ever as he was credited with driving truly outstanding. Quick, mobile, immigrant parents Yogi grew up in 23 runs that day. and a great handler of , playing all kinds of sports with the As with many stars of that time Berra led all neighborhood kids. baseball would have to wait a~ (AL) eight times in games Ba~eball quickly became Yogi's World War II was in full swing. Yogi caught, six times in plays (a fa:ronte .sport and one he enjoyed was now 18 and enlisted to served ~aJor league record), eight times WIth neighbor Joe Garagiola who his country as a Navy Gunners ill , three times in assists he attended South Side Catholic ~ate ..Yogi was part of the D-Day and once in . ' School with. That block now called invasion of Normandy on a rocket Berra left the game with the "Hall of Fame Place" was also ship that was capsized off Omaha American Leage records for home to the late baseball broad- Beach b~fore serving in Italy, catcher putouts (8,723) and caster . North Afnca and stateside. chances accepted (9,520). He was In 1942 Berra and Garagiola After the war, Yogi returned to also one of only four catchers to tried out for the St. Louis baseball and played with the New ever field 1.000 for a season Cardinals and after Garagiola was London, CT club. It is said it was playing 88 errorless games in 1958: signed to a $500 contract Yogi there that , the Giants Later in his career, he showed his turned town the $250 offer from Manager saw him play and range as he excelled as a defensive General Manager . attempted to offer the Yankees in 's dif- Some reports say Rickey did it on $50,000 for Yogi'scontract. Yankee ficult left field. In June 1962, at the purpose with the knowledge he GMLarry MacPhail had no idea who age ~f 37, Berra showed his superb would be leaving St. Louis for the Yogiwas, but figured that if Mel Ott physical endurance by catching an Brooklyn Dodgers and that he wanted him that badly, he had to be ent~e 22-inning, seven-hour game wanted to sign Yogi to his new worth keeping, and he was. against the Tigers .

• THE GRASS ROOTS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 PERSONALITY PROFILE

I could just say how many All Star games and other here?" Yogi,without missing a beat, replied convinc- awards Yogiwon, but to list the years does it more jus- ingly, "It's my museum." tice. Yogi was voted to the All Star Team 15 times, What is a Yogi-ism?Yogiis well known for his mala- 1948,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61 proprisms (substituiting a incorect word for one of a and 1962. He was voted American League MVP three similar sound) and misusing the english language in times, 1951, 54 and 55. Most inpressively for himself interesting ways all in the name of fun. and his teammates he was part of Some of them, "It's like deja vu all over again", "You Champion Teams 10 times, 1947, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56, can observe a lot by just watching.", "It's tough making 58, 61 and 62. Berra was elected to the Baseball Hall predictions, especially about the future", "Always go of Fame in 1972. to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come With the World Series as the goal of every team and to yours.", are well known and truth full while player in spring Yogihas had quite a bit of success in humerous statements. his 10 World Series Championships. His series records As a golfer Berra had some well known comments include most games by a catcher (63), hits (71), and about golf. He is credited with saying "90 percent of times on a winning team (10), first in at bats, first in putts that fall short don't go in", and "I think they just doubles, second in RBI's, third in home runs and Base got through marinating the greens" while commenting on Balls (walks). Yogialso the first pinch hit home on his performance after playing a poor golf game. Of run in World Series history in 1947. course as with everthing quotes and sayings are After playing Berra managed and coached for the exsagerated and changed over time leading Berra to Yankees,Mets and Astros from 1963to 1989while leading say, "I didn't really say everything I said" both the Yankeesand Mets to World Series victories. What does all this have to do with our jobs and the Away from baseball Yogi is renowned for his self- game of golf. Nothing really, but it is playoff time for lessness, giving generously of his time for countless baseball and a good reminder of the generation that youth organizations and charitable causes, including lived through World War II, and their importance to his own annual golf tournament in Montclair, NJ which our lives today. Take some time out of your busy day, has raised over $1 million for scholarships, educa- get a book (of just surf the web) and familiarize your- tional programming and special needs scouts. He has self with a few of the leaders from 'The Greatest been awarded the 's highest Generation" as they are appropriatly called. adult honor The Silver Buffalo. You can even look around your course and thank Family has always been paramount to Yogi Berra, those older memers for their support to your club and who has been married over 50 years to Carmen and is take a few moments to learn a little bit about their the proud father of three athletic sons - Larry, a lives. Youwill soon find out they all have a interesting former minor-league catcher, Tim, a former NFL story to tell.* receiver, and Dale, a former major-league . A resident of Montclair, NJ for over 40 years, Yogi Berra remains an inspiration to all. In 1996, he received an honorary doctorate from Montclair State University and the baseball stadium was named after him on campus. In December 1998, the YogiBerra Museum & Learning Center opened its doors to the public, paying tribute to an American legend and his lifelong commit- ment to the education of young people. The museum, located at the university is currently the home of various artifacts, including the mitt with which Yogi caught the only in World T. J. Emmerich Associates, Inc Series history, several autographed and "game-used" items, three World Series Championship trophies, and Irrigation Consultants nine of Yogi's championship rings. Berra only wears W28620 Beverly Lane • Hartland, WI 53029 the 1953 ring, in commemoration of the Yankees' record 5th consecutive World Championship. 262-538-2776 Berra is very involved and frequents the museum Golf Course • Commercial • Master Planning for signings, discussions, and other events. It is his System Evaluations • GPS Services intention to teach children important values such as sportsmanship and dedication, both on and off the Thomas J. Emmerich baseball diamond. When asked "So, what is it you do Certified Irrigation Designer

THE GRASS ROOTS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008