'It ain't over until it's over'; Yogi Berra was a legendary New York Yankees catcher and D-Day veteran as well as the inspiration behind Yogi Bear cartoon.[1]
Lawrence Peter Berra[2] was born in St. Louis on May 12, 1925, the son of Pietro, a laborer in a brickyard, and Pauline Berra.[3] He grew up in 'The Hill,' or Italian district, with three older brothers and a younger sister.[4][5]
Berra was forced to drop out of school in the eighth grade and go to work to help support his family. He took jobs in a coal yard, as a truck driver and in a shoe factory. He continued to play amateur baseball, which brought him to the attention of major league scouts.
In 1943, his first professional season with the Yankees' farm team in Norfolk, Virginia, was interrupted by World War II.[2] He joined the Navy at age 18 and volunteered for duty on a secret mission – training to operate machine guns on a 36-foot “rocket” boat.[2][3]
Yogi and his five crew mates provided cover fire on Omaha Beach, softening the German defenses to support the Allied invasion during the D-Day invasion of Normandy.[2]
Berra married Carmen Short in 1949. The couple, who met in their native St. Louis, had three sons, including Dale Berra, who played in the major leagues as an infielder.
Yogi Berra, the 10 World Series championships record holder with the Yankees, died of natural causes at his home in New Jersey September 22, 2015.[2][6] His family said: 'While we mourn the loss of our father, grandfather and great-grandfather, we know he is at peace with Mom. We celebrate his remarkable life, and are thankful he meant so much to so many. He will truly be missed.'[7]
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Categories: Athletes | Persons Appearing on US Postage Stamps | Baseball Hall of Fame | Professional Baseball Players | New York Yankees | United States Navy, World War II | Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover Township, New Jersey | Example Profiles of the Week | Notables