The world recently said goodbye to one of the most beloved baseball personalities of all time. Lorenzo Pietro "Yogi" Berra died on
Sept. 22 at the age of 90.
Even those who do not follow baseball are familiar with his malapropisms, such gems as, "It's deja-vu all over again," and "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."
As a player, Berra was one of the greatest.
He was named to the all-star team 18 times, was league Most Valuable Player three times, and is considered one of the greatest clutch hitters of all time.
He was also an amazing catcher with unbelievable stamina, once catching an entire 22 inning game that lasted over seven hours.
There is much more to Berra, however.
Just his presence seemed to draw the best out of those around him.
As a player, coach and manager with three different teams, the New York Yankees, the New York Mets and the Houston Astros, he appeared in 21 World Series, winning 13 of them.
How did he achieve such phenomenal success?
It can be argued that Berra was simply an excellent athlete, and that he had a great deal of specialized knowledge.
He understood the game of baseball, he played it well, and he taught others to do the same.
There are a lot of people with great skill and knowledge, however, who do not succeed in life. What made this man different? One thing is clear.
Berra understood that we become what we think about.
"Baseball is 90 percent mental, the other half is physical."
This is true of success in any field. Yes, our natural abilities come into play, but we need to think like winners.
Berra exhibited this quality as well.
When his New York Mets were so far behind the Chicago Cubs in the standings in 1973 that people were beginning to count them out, Berra quipped to the media, "It ain't over till it's over."
His team went on to win the division on the second to last day of the season.
Berra knew the meaning of positive expectancy, he seemed to know that things would turn out well, and so often he was right.
What is most moving about Berra, however, is the way that he made those around him feel.
He treated everyone like they were the most important person in the world. Alex Rodriguez, arguably the most criticised player in baseball, said of Yogi, "He was always consistent, steady, supportive, constructive. I really appreciated that."
He further commented that, "every room he would walk into, the room would light up, and everyone would become a better person because of it."
Regardless of how one feels about baseball or teams from New York, we can all smile as we ponder the great and simple wisdom passed on to us by Berra.
The world has said good-by to baseball's greatest Yogi.
He will forever be fondly remembered.
