Yogi-isms

When I was a child the most important man in my life was my dad. In my eyes he could do no wrong. I totally adored the man and some of my best memories of him were the times we spent watching the New York Yankee play baseball.

His favorite team was the Yankees so I grew up watching Mickey Mantle, Roger Marris, Whitey Ford, Joe Pepitone and of course my all time favorite player Yogi Berra.

When ever we played baseball in my neighborhood I was always the catcher. I always wore one of my dad's favorite caps backwards cause I thought it made me look cool just like Yogi. Berra is considered by many observers to be the greatest all-around catcher in baseball history. During his 19-year career as a Yankee, Berra's teams dominated baseball. Berra appeared in 14 World Series and winning ten championships, both of which are records.

Yogi Berra is famous not only for his baseball exploits but also for what have affectionately been called "yogi-isms." Berra, quit school in the 8th grade, and has an unusal ability to fracture a phrase in some of the most unusual ways. Here are a few of my favorite "yogi-isms."

• "It ain't over 'till it's over"
• "Never answer an annonymous letter."
• "I usually take a two hour nap from one to four."
• "I didn't really say everything I said."
• " When you come to a fork in the road....take it."
• " You can observe a lot by watching."
• "The future ain't what it used to be"

These phrases make me smile and remember some exciting World Series Games that I shared with my dad. The "cherished cap" is now in the possession of my son ( my dad's only name sake). He says I check on "the hat "as much as I check on him and if he ever lost it he could never come home again!