"This Yogi Berra's 18th season as a Yankee and before the year is over, the popular veteran will have passed Babe Ruth's 2,084 games as a Yankee, trailing only immortal Lou Gehrig's 2,164 games in the famed New York pinstripes.
The colorful catcher, who set many a seasonal and World Series record, now is dividing his time between the familiar catching chores and his new duties as first base coach. Yogi didn't know about catching when he joined the Yanks late in the 1946 season, but he went on to become one of the game's all-time great receivers.
He has hit more home runs than any catcher in the game's history, 305 (plus 45 as an outfielder) to rank 15th on the all-time homer list. Berra was the first man to hit a World Series pinch home run and he's played the most Series games (74), has garnered the most hits (71) and most RBIs (39) of any performer in World Series history.
Three times Yogi has won the American League's Most Valuable Player Award, 1951, 1954 and 1955. Labelled a "character" and the butt of many jokes early in his career, Yogi has grown impressively with the game to which he has contributed so much. Today, as the Yankees' senior citizen, Yogi Berra still is a vital cog in the World Champions' organization as catcher-coach."
-The New York Yankees Official 1963 Yearbook
Signed by Yankee organization, November 11, 1942.
First player to hit pinch homer in World Series, accomplishing feat against Brooklyn, October 2, 1947.
Named American League's Most Valuable Player, 1951.
Tied with Gus Triandos, most home runs in one season by American League catcher (30), 1952 and 1956.
Named American League's Most Valuable Player, 1954.
Named American League's Most Valuable Player, 1955.
One of eight players, six of whom are Yankees, to hit a grand slam in a World Series game, October 5, 1956, against Brooklyn.
Has hit more home runs than any major league catcher in history (305) while hitting 45 as an outfielder.
Has played in most World Series games, lifetime (74).
Has most hits in World Series, lifetime (71).
Has most RBIs in World Series, lifetime (39).
Has most chances, catcher in World Series, lifetime.
Has most putouts, catcher in World Series, lifetime.
Has most assists, catcher in World Series, lifetime.
Signed dual contract as player-coach, January 17, 1963.
-1963 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
"At the age of 38, Lawrence P. Berra is embarking on a new career, that of Yankee player-coach. While he probably will appear in at least many games as he did last season (86), Yogi will attempt to impart some of the knowledge he has acquired during his long tenure as a Yankee.
Though his batting average fell to a dismal .224 in 1962, Yogi's lifetime average is still a respectable .284. Of his total of 350 major league home runs, 305 of them were hit while performed as a catcher, the largest total made by a receiver in big league annals.
Yogi was voted the American League's Most Valuable Player Award three times - in 1951, 1954 and 1955.
Yogi is tied with Gus Triandos for the most round-trippers by a junior circuit catcher in one season - 30.
Among Berra's outstanding World Series accomplishments are :
-First player to hit a pinch homer in the Fall Classic, that feat occurring against the Brooklyn Dodgers on October 2, 1947.
-Appeared in most games (74); made most hits (71); has most RBI (39); has most chances, putouts and assists of any catcher in Series history.
-Hit grand slam in World Series game of October 5, 1956 against Brooklyn.
The famed bad-ball hitter from "The Hill" in St. Louis has also played the outfield in addition to doing most of the Bomber catching in his 17 years with the Yanks.
Yogi joined the club at the tail-end of the 1946 campaign fresh from Newark. He promptly belted a homer in his first time at bat in the big leagues.
Berra's top year, statistically, was 1950 when he batted .322 and collected 192 hits, including 30 doubles, six triples and 28 homers, in addition to 124 RBI.
Besides those 350 homers among his 2,105 total hits, Yogi has lashed out 315 doubles and 49 triples. He has sent 1,402 runners across the plate and has scored 1,154 runs himself.
The fact that he has struck out only 394 times in 7,399 times at bat is a tribute to his keen eye and judgment at the plate through the years."
-1963 Jay Publishing New York Yankees Yearbook
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