Yogi Berra Accomplishments

All-star, soldier, philanthropist, wit—these are just a few of the many words one could use to describe baseball legend Yogi Berra, who passed away yesterday at the age of 90. Though he will no doubt remain best known for his many accomplishments as the catcher for one of the most dominant New York Yankees teams in baseball history, his famous witticisms, military service and charitable endeavors leave behind him a legacy that extends far beyond the diamond and that has made him not only one of the greatest but also one of the most-loved to have ever played the game.

Lawrence Peter Berra was born on May 12, 1925, in an Italian immigrant section of St. Louis, Missouri, known as “The Hill.” One of five children, Berra showed a passion and aptitude

Among his most famous sayings are “Baseball is ninety percent mental, and the other half is physical,” “The future ain’t what is used to be,” “I never said most of the things I said” (in reference to the press’s frequent exaggerations of his comments) and “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” which has become an inseparable part of the lexicon of baseball and, indeed, of sports in

The team won the pennant that year but lost the series and Berra was subsequently fired. He was a coach for the New York Mets for the next seven years, and, in 1972, became that team’s manager. The year 1972 also saw Berra’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Yankees honoring him by permanently retiring his jersey number (8). In 1975, Berra returned to the Yankees, first as a coach, then again as manager from 1983 until he was once more fired in 1985. He was hired as a bench coach by the Houston Astros in 1986 and was there until his retirement in 1992, having spent almost a lifetime devoted to the game.

Following his retirement, Berra devoted much of his time to charitable causes, raising millions through annual golf tournaments. In 1998 Berra was involved in opening the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center. The center’s mission is to promote values such as sportsmanship, social justice and educational excellence. The museum houses items from Berra’s days as a player, including the glove he wore in the perfect game he caught during the 1958 World Series, as well as his championship