Yogi Berra Remembered In Photos

Yogi Berra Dies At 90 – A Remembrance In Rarely Seen Photos Of The Yankee Great

Yogi Berra during the 1960 World Series - photo Marvin E. Newman

Yogi Berra during the 1960 World Series – photo Marvin E. Newman

Lawrence Peter “Yog”i Berra died Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at the age of 90 in West Caldwell, New Jersey where he had been living in an assisted-living facility.

While countless obituaries will appear over the next few days recounting Berra’s storied baseball career, business acumen and quotable life, we thought it best not to dwell on Berra’s passing or try and tell all about his amazing life in just a few paragraphs. Yogi’s life story will be be well covered by his former teammates, friends, journalists and colleagues.

We will tell you that Yogi was not a great catcher when he first arrived in the majors. Yogi worked hard with former Yankee catcher Bill Dickey to make himself into a great defensive catcher. Also three American League MVP awards tell you that Yogi was extremely valuable to the Yankees. What those awards will not tell you was that Yogi was one of the best bad ball hitters ever – whether the ball was up by his eyes or literally in the dirt – Yogi could do massive damage on a pitch that most batters would not be able to do anything with.

We decided the best way to remember this Hall of Famer was with some old press photos that appeared long ago in magazines and newspapers and mostly have not been seen since.

Spec Shea Yogi Berra 1947 first start in World SeriesFrank “Spec” Shea and Yogi Berra before game 1 of the 1947 World Series at Yankee Stadium. 1947 marked the first of a record 10 world championships for Berra.

Berra Rizzuto 5 15 50 photo AcmeYogi Berra and Phil Rizzuto enjoy playing cards on a Yankees charter flight from New York to St. Louis, May 15, 1950 – photo Acme

clockwise - Yogi Berra (without cap), Mickey Mantle, Vic Raschi and Allie Reynolds celebrate 3-2 World Series game 6 victory over Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field - October 6, 1952

Clockwise – Yogi Berra (without cap), Mickey Mantle, Vic Raschi and Allie Reynolds celebrate 3-2 World Series game 6 victory over Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field – October 6, 1952. Berra homered in the seventh inning, Mantle homered in the eighth, Raschi got the victory and Reynolds the save.

Yogi Berra Batting sequence 1955 9 6September 6, 1955 – Yogi’s Off And Running – Yogi Berra the New York Yankees formidable catcher, shows the wrist action that provides the power that makes him one of the club’s long ball hitters. Berra currently hitting .273 has pounded out 23 homers and driven in 94 runs. He has hit 18 doubles and two triples. – AP wirephoto 

Jackie Robinson steals home Yogi Berra 9 28 55 World SeriesOn September 28, 1955 Jackie Robinson surprised everyone by attempting to steal home during game 1 of the World Series. Yogi Berra, to his dying day was positive he had tagged Robinson out at the plate. Unfortunately for Berra and the Yankees, Robinson was called safe by umpire Bill Summers.

Yogi Berra catch in stands 1956 7 47/4/56 – Boston – New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra, not only aided his team, by leaning into the stands to catch this pop fly off the bat of Sammy White of the Boston Red Sox, but save a youngster from getting beaned. Play happened in the fourth inning of the second game of Yankee- Red Sox twin bill at Fenway Park 7/4.  Red Sox won the first in eleven innings, 7-6, and the Yankees won the second 9-4. – United Press Telephoto by staff photographer Joel Schrank

Don Larsen Yogi Berra Ralph Babe Pinelli day after perfect game 1956 10 9 WS World Teleg Sun ph Wm C GreeneDon Larsen with umpire Babe Pinelli and Yogi Berra on October 9, 1956 the day after Larsen threw his perfect game in game 5 of the World Series. – photo William C. Greene for the World-Telegraph-Sun

Yogi Berra Day 1959Yankees announcer Mel Allen acts as the master of ceremonies for the first Yogi Berra Day held at Yankee Stadium prior to the Yankees Red Sox game on September 19, 1959. Yogi had to brush aside tears from his eyes as he accepted 59 gifts from the Yankees organization including a new station wagon, a color television, and dancing lessons; hats for wife Carmen Berra and an encyclopedia set and model trains for his boys. The Yankees won the game 3-1.

Yogi Berra autographs book 1961March 6, 1961 Russ Kasper of Atlanta out of school three days on vacation to see the Yankees gets Yogi Berra’s autograph on his autobiography at Miller Huggins Field during spring training. photo – Dan Hightower St. Petersburg Times

Maris Berra Mantle SkowronThe heart of the Yankees batting order in 1961 – Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Moose Skowron.

Yogi Berra Elston Howard 1963 2 26 photo John Walther Miami HeraldYogi Berra with Elston Howard during spring training 1963 – photo John Walther Miami Herald

Yogi Berra Ejected 1964 8 168/16/64 – Baltimore – Yankees manager Yogi Berra is thrown out of game by 1B umpire John Stevens when he disputed call on close play, Brooks Robinson Oriole 3B throwing out Bobby Richardson New York 2B on close play at first in sixth inning. – photo United Press Telephoto

Berra and Stengel Mets 1965Houston, Texas April 28, 1965 – Berra Back Swinging – New York Mets manager Casey Stengel looks over the shoulder of Yogi Berra as he picks out his club to take a turn at batting practice. Berra, who had been on the coaching staff of the Mets was put on the active roster by Stengel today. – photo AP wirephoto

Willie Mays Yogi Berra Mets May 1973May 19, 1973 – Willie Mays, on the Mets disabled list with a shoulder injury, chats with Mets manager Yogi Berra before a game at Shea Stadium. – photo AP

Yogi Berra George SteinbrennerDecember 16, 1983 – Another Yankee Manager – Yogi Berra, left, gets a pat on the back from New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner after Berra was named the new Yankees’ manager on Friday in New York. Steinbrenner said that Billy Martin, the former manager, would remain as an adviser. photo – AP / G. Paul Burnett

Yogi Berra June 6 2014June 6, 2014 – Yogi Berra is presented with a quilt and a medal by Commander Jim Wallace during a D-Day presentation at the Yogi Berra Museum. Berra served in the navy as part of the D-Day invasion. Berra was wounded during the invasion by a bullet and later received a purple heart. photo – AP

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