R.I.P. Yogi Berra

The baseball world lost a great one yesterday with the passing of Yogi Berra at the age of 90 years old.

He started his playing career in 1943 with the Norfolk Tars after signing with the Yankees but was derailed by WWII. He took part of the D-Day invasion and was later injured during the Allied assault on Marseilles, which earned him a Purple Heart. After leaving the Navy in 1946 he retuned to the minors before being called up by the Yankees in 1947. Over the next 19 seasons he was part of a Yankee Dynasty that won 11 World Series Titles out of 15 World Series trips. He still holds the record for most Series games played, plate appearances, hits and doubles.

After a Hall of Fame career he went on to coach/manage for the Yankees, Mets and Astro taking both the Yankees and the Mets to World Series appearances as manager.

He was a great player and a good sport and while he may be gone his legacy will never leave as long as there is baseball to be played.

His 1948 Bowman #6 rookie card, shown above (I do not own this card) will cost you well over $150 but there are reprint available but there are plenty of relics in the $10-15 range and autographs starting around $30.

 

I end with a classic Yogi-ism "Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours."