Saturday, September 26, 2015

My Letter to Yogi Berra If He Were Still Alive



Yogi,

Mr. Berra, thank you for taking the time to read this letter from a fan that has only heard about your greatest accomplishments not only in the game of Major League Baseball but in your life. I wasn't alive when you were fighting for our freedom in World War II on the beach of Normandy, I wasn't alive when you were winning MVP Award and 10 World Series rings and I wasn't alive when you were managing teams to the World Series after your playing career. I've never been to the Yogi Berra Museum, the New Jersey Hall of Fame or Cooperstown, New York but I have been a Yankees fan all my life and I think I know enough.

While I fit the time frame I am the polar opposite of a bandwagon fan or a dynasty fan. I began watching full time in 1994, I was 9-years old, and was disappointed when the season ended in a strike. I watched as the Yankees won the first ever Wild Card in 1995, the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009 and I watched as George Steinbrenner built and reinforced a bridge between your home and Yankee Stadium.

When I was dragged into the blogging world kicking and screaming the first widget I placed on the bare bones website was a widget that cycled through your best "Yogi-isms." When Major League Baseball announced every team's Mount Rushmore I pleaded your case over Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. When you needed signatures and votes for the Medal of Freedom award from President Obama I voted with every email address I had access to. When your World Series rings were stolen a part of me died and when you die I'll cry.

You hear the stories of how you were such a great ball player but even a better person and it bothers me that I will likely never meet you in person. Never get to show my admiration for you and never get to show the ultimate respect and appreciation for you. Instead I'll model my life after yours, especially the kindness and sincerity part of your character, and I'll never expect or ask for praise for it. I'll never go to the most popular places in town because nobody does, it's always too crowded. When I see a fork in the road, I'll take it. When I'm lost I'll look on the bright side because at least I'll be making good time. If I can 't imitate you I'm not going to copy you, but I can.

Thank you for everything you do and everything you have done. You are an ambassador to the game and a vision of success to the world. We love you Yogi, get well soon and we'll see you at Old Timer's Day.


Daniel Burch

3 comments:

  1. Very nice write up your love of Yogi and the NY Yankees. I started my love for the NY Yankees at around the same age you have 9, it's awesome to love and follow something for so long. It hurts dearly when they lose, that's how we all know that we love the NY Yankees. When the lose in the playoffs I'm not right for several weeks. As for the late, great Yogi Berra - like you I wasn't lucky enough to see him play. My first game was Bat Day - 1975 in SHEA STADIUM, why Shea, Yankee Stadium was getting it's make over. I've been watching the Yanks everyday since that day in 1975. Take care buddy.
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    1. Thank you for the comment Vincent and thank you for sharing your story. It's great to have the truest of true Yankees fans here, the ones that support the team no matter what. We all have those players we'd rather see elsewhere, that's human nature, but the team is what matters. Yogi thought so as well if I had to guess, and I bet I'd be right.

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  2. There was this guy warming up one day for the Yankees and I was told he was the Yankees Catcher.
    I think I said something like, "You've got to be kidding, right!"...maybe I cleaned it up a bit. He looked nothing like a ballplayer to me. So, being respectful of those that knew more than I (yah right) I watched him in batting practise and I must say, "He never saw a pitch he didn't like", he hit high, low it didn't matter, if he could reach it he hit it.
    I have no idea if he played that day or not, I do know, being the pest I was I asked someone the next day about him and was told, "That guy is one good player, he'll be around for a while"!
    Yogi Berra, became one of the Stars of a star filled Yankee Dynasty and the only Yankee of those teams that was fine being one of the Stars, not the STAR. Although, I must say, all of the big Stars would talk to any one of us at the drop of a hat.
    I am sure all of the "Kitchen Trash" Kids are sad to hear of his demise as much as I, "Play Well Yogi"!

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)