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NEW YORK — Yogi Berra, the Hall of Fame catcher renowned as much for his dizzying malapropisms as his record 10 World Series championships with the New York Yankees, has died. He was 90.
Berra died of natural causes Tuesday at his home in New Jersey, according to Dave Kaplan, the director of the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center.
"While we mourn the loss of our father, grandfather and great-grandfather, we know he is at peace with Mom," Berra's family said in a statement released by the museum. "We celebrate his remarkable life, and are thankful he meant so much to so many. He will truly be missed."
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Among the late Yogi Berra's lasting contributions to baseball and America is this: He kept a nation of fans smiling.
Berra's death came exactly 69 years after his major league debut. On Sept. 22, 1946, Berra homered in his second major league plate appearance in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Athletics.
Short, squat and with a homely mug, Berra was a legendary Yankee who helped the team reach 14 World Series during his 18 seasons in the Bronx.
Berra played in more World Series games than any other major leaguer and was a three-time American League Most Valuable Player. A 15-time All-Star, Berra was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
But his name appears almost as often in Bartlett's Famous Quotations as it does in baseball's record book.
"It ain't over 'til it's over" is among eight "Yogi-isms" included in Bartlett's.
"When I'm sittin' down to dinner with the family, stuff just pops out. And they'll say, 'Dad, you just said another one.' And I don't even know what the heck I said," Berra insisted.
Yogi Berra was named Yankees manager in 1983. He also coached or managed the Mets and Astros. AP Photo/G. Paul Burnett
Berra played for the Yankees from 1949 to '65. His teammates included fellow Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford.
In 1956, he caught the only perfect game in World Series history and, after the last out, leaped into pitcher Don Larsen's arms. The famous moment was captured in photographs published in newspapers around the world.
After his playing days, Berra coached or managed the Yankees, New York Mets and Houston Astros. He managed the Yankees (1964) and Mets (1973) to the World Series.
In 1985, his firing as manager by the Yankees 16 games into the season sparked a feud with owner George Steinbrenner. Berra vowed never to return to Yankee Stadium as long as Steinbrenner owned the team.
But in 1999, Berra finally relented, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch of the Yankees' season-opening game.
He was a fan favorite, especially with children, and the cartoon character Yogi Bear was named after him.