Yogi Berra: Baseball icon remembered

MONTCLAIR, New Jersey – A gold catcher’s mitt was placed on top of his remains. But on a day filled with stories from a lifetime in baseball, Yogi Berra was remembered for being more than one of the game’s greats.

He was the man who served his country courageously on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day in 1944. He was the man who delighted in the joys of family and someone who brought roaring laughter with his words wherever he went.

The beloved New York Yankees catcher - a three-time American League MVP and Hall of Famer who played on 10 World Series championship teams - also brought out sports royalty from all corners to an overflowing church, much in the way he helped fill ballparks for a generation.

“He was always so good, so honest, so human and so real,” former Yankees manager Joe Torre said in his eulogy. “You didn’t have to be a baseball fan to know who Yogi was.”

Berra, who in Torre’s words “personified the American dream,” died a week ago at 90 years old. He was cremated and his remains were placed by the altar, an American flag prominently displayed.

Among those at the service were ex-Yankees Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada and club president Randy Levine. Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson, was there as was football Hall of Famer Harry Carson.

Torre, now MLB’s chief baseball officer, recalled for the gathering at the Church of the Immaculate Conception one of many spring training car trips with Berra. As they were riding along, Berra asked that they pull over.

“Yogi gets out of the car in uniform,” Torre says. “People saw him in his No. 8 uniform and were saying, `No, this isn’t happening.’ Yogi went in unassuming and asked, `Can I use your bathroom?’”

Torre also added to the lexicon that has made Berra a linguistic treasure.

“We were going to play golf together, but then he had to cancel because he said he was shooting a commercial,” Torre said. “I asked Yogi what the commercial was for. He said, `Amtrak.’ It was Aflac. I think Amtrak sent him a check, too. Yogi Berra personified the American dream. You were a champion for every one of those 90 years. “