Guts, Glory, and Yogi Berra

 By Rich Kozlovich

Who was the greatest baseball player that ever lived?  I think it was Yogi Berra. Why? First his stats were really remarkable, and had so few strike outs it was amazing. He won ten World Series rings as a player, more than any other player in baseball, won the MVP three times.  It’s true the Yankees had great players all those years, but as Mickey Mantle said, Yogi was the heart and soul of the team.  Being a great athlete is one thing.  Being an inspiration to his teammates was priceless, and that was true everywhere he went.

But what I really liked about Yogi was his sayings, commonly called Yogism’s.  Most of which he never said. As he stated in his book, "I Really Didn’t Say Everything I Said!”  Now that's Yogi!

But there were two sayings I particularly like.  

• It ain’t over till it’s over
• When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

Actually, he didn’t say “It ain’t over til it’s over”.  What he said was “It ain’t over til it’s mathematical.”  But it became so iconic, he embraced it and signed baseballs with that statement.  Then he owned it!  But most importantly the point he was making was just because things are tough you don’t give up just as long as there’s chance.   The second one, which he actually said, simply meant, quit putzing around, make a decision and live with it.

Both are iconic, both are great pieces of wisdom - depth of wisdom mind you - and stated as simply as possible. Yogi was man full of good humor, humility, kindness, integrity and class.  

Yogi served in WWII and was in on the D-Day invasion, and while Jackie Robinson never saw combat during WWII, he still served, and Yogi went up to him, shook his hand, thanked him for his service, and welcomed him to the Big Leagues.  

Although he insisted to the end of his life he tagged Robinson out when Robinson stole home.  Even watching the film and the step by step photos, it's really hard to know for sure, but I'll go with Yogi. 

When he was a manager he took loser teams to the finals, and yet was treated with terrible disrespect, twice from the Yankees management teams.  When George Brenner took over the team he hired him back, he then fired him, and disrespectfully sending an underling to do it.   And yet as painful as all that was for him, he handled it with style, so unlike all the celebrity athletes of today.  And, for that matter, not just athletes.  That crybaby attitude applies across the board in America today.  

The sports media made fun of him, even though he was a remarkably accomplished leader, coach, and player.  He just smiled and laughed, and he became the most beloved baseball player in America during his lifetime.

Normally I don't do sports here at P&D, unless it has some social value.  But I decided to do one on Yogi Berra because simply stated, there are never enough Yogi Berra's in the world.  Yogi died on September 22, 2015.  He lived to be 90 years old. 

A devoted and beloved husband, father, and grandfather.  His life was a success.