Throughout his career, which lasted more than four decades, Hall of Famer Yogi Berra has been a part of a number of iconic moments in sports history.
Legendary Washington Post columnist Shirley Povich, who joined the paper’s sports staff in 1924 and wrote columns from 1933 until his death in 1998, witnessed much of Berra’s exploits.
March 20, 1947
The earliest mention of Berra, who made his major league debut on Sept. 22, 1946, in a Povich column was during spring training on March 20, 1947. Berra’s name does not show up until two-thirds of the way through the column, where Povich writes, “Outfielder Johnny Lindell wants to be traded away from the Yankees. He thinks he can play regularly for most any other club in the league and he probably could, but he doesn’t like being pushed into the background with the Yankees who are now planning a regular outfield of Joe DiMaggio, Charley Keller and Rookie Yogi Berra, up from their Newark farm.”
Povich later on notes that Yankees Manager Bucky Harris “is high on Berra … and will be sorely disappointed if the stocky fellow does not prove up as the Yanks’ regular right fielder.”
Oct. 3, 1947 – Berra’s historic World Series pinch-hit home run
The Brooklyn Dodgers scored their first series victory in Game 3 of the 1947 World Series, but it was Berra’s home run that proved to be historic. In the game story headlined “Bums Score First Series Win, 9 to 8,” Povich mentions Berra’s pinch-hit home run in the third paragraph.
“This third game of the series had everything, including the first pinchhit homerun in World Series history, by Yogi Berra of the Yankees,” Povich wrote. “Berra’s massive swat off [Ralph] Branca over the scoreboard in right centerfield cut the Dodgers’ lead to 9-8 with one out in the seventh.”
Oct. 9, 1956 – Don Larsen’s perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series
One of the most memorable moments in World Series history produced one of sports writing’s best game story ledes.
“The million-to-one shot came in. Hell froze over. A month of Sundays hit the calendar. Don Larsen today pitched a no-hit, no-run, no-man-reach-first game in a World Series.”
The first person to embrace Larsen that day was Berra, who was the catcher. The iconic photo of the pair hugging shows up next to the article in A1 of the paper that day.
This is how Povich described it: “…this time there was a woodenness in [Larsen’s] steps and his stride was that of a man in a daze. The spell was broken for Larsen when Yogi Berra stormed on to the infield to embrace him.”
Jan. 20, 1972 – Berra is inducted into the Hall of Fame
The 1972 baseball Hall of Fame was a “vintage year,” according to Povich. Berra, Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax and right-hander Early Wynn were all inducted, or in Povich’s words, “whooshed into membership in the game’s holiest company.”
“The names of Koufax, Berra and Wynn spell out no less than shining adornments for the Hall,” Povich continued. “Yogi Berra was the best catcher in the American League for most of 18 years, owns a grist of World Series records and hit more home runs than any other catcher. Strictly on performance, Berra belongs in Cooperstown.”
It’s hard to argue with that.
