Former New York Yankees catcher and manager Yogi Berra passed away on Tuesday at the age of 90. The news was reported by the Yankees and also by the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center in New Jersey.
Berra loomed large as a cultural figure among baseball fans and the American public for his witty quotes and also for his play on the field. Berra is considered to be one of the best Yankee players of all time and he took both the Yankees and the Mets to the World Series as a manager. Berra was a strong hitter and had nearly 360 home runs in his career and he also was a quality hitter, as he did not strike out much.
ESPN's Tim Kurkjian said on ESPN Radio following Berra's death that he was one of the best Yankee hitters ever and that he once finished a year with 28 home runs and just 12 strikeouts. Berra was an All-Star player for 15 straight seasons and he won multiple titles with the Yankees. Berra hit .285 in his career and he was considered a great fielder at his position by the time his playing days were over.
Berra set many records and had many milestones in his career, including when he hit the first pinch hit home run in World Series history against the Dodgers. Berra used to catch both games of a doubleheader without any issues, something that most catchers would not do in modern baseball. Berra won multiple MVP awards and played 19 seasons in the majors.
Berra was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972 and he also had his number retired by the Yankees. Berra managed the Yankees and also the Mets for four seasons, taking the team to the World Series in 1973. Berra played on numerous winning teams, including 14 that won the pennant and he played on 10 World Series championship teams, which is the most among any baseball player in history. Berra is survived by three sons and he previously lost his wife Carmen, who died in 2014.
Check here for more on Berra and the Yankees.
The Yankees Twitter account put out this message: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of a Yankees legend and American hero, Yogi Berra."
