A wonderful life: Berra family reminisces at Yogi’s museum

While its current governor has added to the late-night jeers, people forget that it was home for President Woodrow Wilson and Thomas Edison, Meryl Streep and Count Basie – I could go on.

Yogi Berra died Tuesday at the age of 90.

It this undated photo, New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra poses at spring training in Florida.

The jersey, which Berra wore at the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, is on loan from the Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair, New Jersey, a spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio said. The Reds Hall of Famer posted a picture of a telegram he got from Yogi right after topping his mark for home runs by a catcher. Yogi was a charming sort of player, and yet, he was indomitable in so many ways; fired twice as a manager by his beloved New York Yankees when the team failed – twice – to snag the World Series title.

“He was such a normal, regular guy to the people he met”, Dale Berra said. When his son collected the alleged Yogisms into a book, Yogi went along with the plan, which is why I had the opportunity to interview him for Only A Game in 1998.

“And I’m left wondering that if this story doesn’t raise a smile then we’re in serious trouble when trying to sort things out”. Kershaw has a 1.17 ERA in 14 starts since the end of June and is up against teammate Zack Greinke and Cubs ace Jake Arrieta for the coveted pithing prize. For me, personally, I miss him. She said, ‘Your father will be devastated. Bobby Richardson later told me that while discussing the AFLAC commercials one day with Yogi and how much money he made from them, Yogi, deadly serious, said to Bobby, “You know, that duck really couldn’t talk”.

Yogi swings the bat during a game in the 1950s. He revealed to me intimate aspects of his non-baseball life, parts he’d never shared publically before – the relationship he had with his parents, and how he honored and celebrated their memory. Sure, he was this iconic great baseball player, but to me, he was Dad. He was a buddy of mine. ‘Go finish the job, ‘ is what Yogi would tell us. Collectively, these “Yogi-isms” just seemed to fit the man we knew and loved.

Funeral arrangements for Berra are private.

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony held during the May celebration, Berra was able to see replacement items as they were revealed to the public after being stolen in a heist at the museum.