American · St Louis, Missouri · Born 12 May 1925 · Died 2015-09-22Yogi Berra was a beloved Yankees catcher who won more World Series titles as a player than anyone in MLB history.
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra was born on May 12, 1925, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Italian immigrant parents Pietro and Paulina Berra, who settled in a tight-knit neighborhood called "The Hill." His mother's difficulty pronouncing "Lawrence" led to the nickname "Lawdie," and a childhood friend later dubbed him "Yogi" after noticing his resemblance to a Hindu holy man he'd seen in a newsreel. Berra grew up across the street from future major leaguer Joe Garagiola, a friendship that lasted nearly 90 years. Berra left school after the eighth grade to help support his family, and signed with the Yankees in 1943 before serving as a U.S. Navy gunner's mate during the Normandy landings in World War II. He debuted with New York in 1946 and became the defensive and emotional anchor of the Yankees dynasty of the 1950s, renowned for his ability to hit pitches well outside the strike zone and for handling a star-studded pitching staff. Berra won three American League MVP awards (1951, 1954, 1955) and remains, remarkably, one of only four players ever to win the honor three times. He appeared in a record 14 World Series and won a record 10 championships as a player, adding two more as a manager — leading both the Yankees and Mets to the World Series, one of only a handful of managers to do so in both leagues. Beyond his playing career, Berra became a cultural icon for his tendency toward memorable, often paradoxical sayings, known as "Yogi-isms," including "It ain't over till it's over" and "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, and died on September 22, 2015, at age 90.
Yankees Hall of Fame catcher, record 10x World Series champion
How They Played
Excellent defensive catcher with strong arm, clutch hitter who could hit to all fields
Lasting Impact
One of greatest catchers in baseball history, known for both athletic achievements and colorful personality
Career Honours
- Record 10x World Series champion
- 3x AL MVP
- 18x All-Star selection
- Hall of Fame 1972
| Team | Period | Games |
|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 1946–1963 | 2120 |
| New York Mets | 1965–1965 | 9 |
American Athletes