‘It Ain’t Over’ Yogi Berra documentary review

[oldbrownhat]

NYT gift article here.

The baseball player, known for his quirky malapropisms, was perpetually underestimated. But a new documentary proves he was a phenomenal talent.

"...He was also a devoted family man, married for 65 years to Carmen Berra; his extravagantly affectionate and charmingly repetitive love letters to her are read aloud here. And he was a war hero — he was on a rocket boat off Normandy on D-Day in World War II, and while he was wounded, he didn’t apply for a Purple Heart because he didn’t want to worry his mother.

Berra’s exemplary life is animated by the inevitable trotting out of his folksy malapropisms known as Yogi-isms. The movie’s title comes from one, “It ain’t over ’til it’s over,” which nobody, apparently, is sure Berra ever uttered. But the best of them, when you really turn them over, are as profound as Zen koans: “If you can’t imitate him, don’t copy him.” Only an original like Berra could come up with that."

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGvXOjD6zQ8[/ame]
​

Hopefully the link will also allow reading another article on the documentary from a few days ago, "Yogi Berra on the Field: The Case for Baseball Greatness"

 

[ACORN]

I’ll paraphrase my favorite Yogi-ism.
You should go to people’s funerals, so when you die they come to yours.

 

[Onomea]

OBH, I read that earlier. I was struck by — leaving aside all the zany, pithy, philosophical quotes — he was a phenomenal baseball player. This chart, from the trailer, struck me particularly:



(The context is at the 2015 all star game the four greatest living baseball players, above with Berra, are honored — and Berra, while in attendance, is not honored among them.)

He also was a truly fine human being, as the linked article shows.

 

[Protocall_Design]

When you come to the fork in the road, take it.

 

[Chuck24]

If you don’t go to peoples funerals, they won’t come to yours

 

[Rudi]

Yogi was a true American brain trust.

 

[ACORN]

Nobody goes to that place anymore. They’re too busy.

 

[kaaskop49]

I remember the Saturday afternoon Yankee games on local TV, (about all that was televised!). The Yankees would saunter up to the plate swinging the lead bat and the wooden one. Impressive, had to have been scary for a pitcher. Yogi was past his 3-MVP prime but his production was still important for the team. Also a successful businessman, knowing when to get in on something and when to get out. I miss him.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S. While not a 'Yogi-ism,' he said that you only got a certain number of hits each year, that you didn't want to use up too many of them in spring training.

 

[Rustyt1953]

He was one of the best things to happen to America's pastime.

 

[Jaco1234]

The very best sports biography I have read is "Yogi" by Jon Pessah

 

[TXBryan]

Yogi was from "The Hill," an Italian conclave just south of downtown St. Louis, not far from where I grew up. Directly across Elizabeth Avenue from Yogi another major league catcher, nine months younger, lived; Joe Garagiola. Joe was no slouch as a player but really hit his stride as an announcer.

In a conversation about how how many kids played baseball when he was a kid (compared to the present day) Joe, who had a World Series Ring from the Cardinals in '46, once said "I wasn't even the best catcher in my neighborhood" referring to Yogi.

 

[Rule3]

Many many years ago when I lived in New Yawk(LI), We went to a few Yankee games. I had Baseball cards for the most of the team. Wish I had them now!! Mantle. Maris, and Yogi.

YB Quotes
parade.com

 

[oldbrownhat]

...YB Quotes
parade.com

Brilliant! Esp. this one:

38. "He hits from both sides of the plate.
He’s amphibious."​

 

[JohnHL]

Yogi was from "The Hill," an Italian conclave just south of downtown St. Louis, not far from where I grew up. Directly across Elizabeth Avenue from Yogi another major league catcher, nine months younger, lived; Joe Garagiola. Joe was no slouch as a player but really hit his stride as an announcer.

In a conversation about how how many kids played baseball when he was a kid (compared to the present day) Joe, who had a World Series Ring from the Cardinals in '46, once said "I wasn't even the best catcher in my neighborhood" referring to Yogi.

My Mom grew up on the "Hill" and went to Shaw School with Yogi Berra.

She always said Yogi was "shy and polite".

John

 

[fiasconva]

Joe Garagiola wrote a book about Yogi. If you are a fan and want to read a really good book about Yogi it's a good one. I think I remember the title is simply "Yogi" He wrote it quite a while ago.

 

[fiasconva]

One of my favorites: " Even if the world were perfect it wouldn't be."

 

[Jaco1234]

Don't forget to buy the Yogi Berra postage stamp.

 

[johngross]

"Everybody pair up in threes."

 

[snowman]

Brilliant! Esp. this one:

38. "He hits from both sides of the plate.
He’s amphibious."​

That's a great one! Also this one:

69. "I’m not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did." - Yogi Berra

Andy

 

[sheepdawg]

"The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase."