By Rob Nunley / Columnist
One of Major League Baseball’s most colorful characters celebrated a milestone yesterday, as Lawrence Peter Berra, known throughout the world as “Yogi,” turned 80 years young.
The Hall-of-Famer played 19 seasons in the big leagues, spending all but his final year — 1965 — with the New York Yankees.
Along the way, the legendary catcher connected for 2,150 hits, including 358 home runs. He drove in 1,430 RBIs, and had a career batting average of .285. He played in 14 World Series, winning 10 championships with the Yanks, and was a 15-time All-star and three-time MVP of the American League.
But through the years, Berra’s accolades on the field were somewhat overshadowed by the quotes attributed to him off of it.
His most inspiring, and most used by coaches around the world, is the classic, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” But Yogi is just as well known for his notorious ability to be quoted saying some of the most inexplicable phrases ever uttered.
So to celebrate the man on the big “8-0,” here are some of his notorious examples:
“This is like deja vu all over again.”
“You can observe a lot just by watching.”
“He must have made that before he died.” — Referring to a Steve McQueen movie.
“I want to thank you for making this day necessary.” — On Yogi Berra Appreciation Day in St. Louis in 1947.
“I’d find the fellow who lost it, and, if he was poor, I’d return it.” — When asked what he would do if he found a million dollars.
“You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.”
“If you don’t know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.”
“If you can’t imitate him, don’t copy him.”
“You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.”
“Baseball is 90 percent mental — the other half is physical.”
“Slump? I ain’t in no slump. I just ain’t hitting.”
“A nickel isn’t worth a dime today.”
“Do you mean now?” — When asked for the time.
“I take a two hour nap, from one o’clock to four.”
“If you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
“You give 100 percent in the first half of the game, and if that isn’t enough in the second half you give what’s left.”
“How long have you known me, Jack? And you still don’t know how to spell my name.” — Upon receiving a check from Jack Buck made out to “bearer.”
“The other teams could make trouble for us if they win.”
“He can run anytime he wants. I’m giving him the red light.” — On the acquisition of fleet Ricky Henderson.
“I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I just blame the bat, and if it keeps up, I change bats. After all, if I know it isn’t my fault that I’m not hitting, how can I get mad at myself?”
“It ain’t the heat; it’s the humility.”
“You should always go to other people’s funerals; otherwise, they won’t come to yours.”
And finally, just in case you believe some of these were made up then attributed to Yogi, he offers this advice:
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
