Yankee Legend Yogi Berra Falls, Misses Old-Timers Day

Yankees legend Yogi Berra, 85, missed Saturday’s Old-Timers Day at Yankees Stadium after falling at the family home near Montclair, New Jersey. The Hall of Fame catcher had planned to link up with fellow members of the 1950s Yankees World Series winning team for the special day. Berra’s bruised, but doing OK after the fall, while resting, his family said through a statement released by the Yankees. The family noted Berra’s disappointed he couldn’t see all his friends at Old-Timers Day.

Berra, who’s among a record 10 World Series winners, played with the Yankees from 1946-63, later managing the team. He was born Lawrence Peter Berra in 1925, and picked up the nickname, “Yogi,” from a friend who said Berra resembled a Hindu holy man when he sat around with arms and legs crossed waiting to bat.

Berra’s fall is the latest episode in a difficult week for families associated with the Yankees, the team and fans. Owner George Steinbrenner and longtime announcer Bob Sheppard both died earlier this week. The Yankees have been paying tribute to both Steinbrenner, who turned the team into a billion dollar business enterprise, and Sheppard, who announced more than 4,500 Yankees baseball games over a period of 56 years, including 22 pennant-winning seasons and 13 World Series championships.

Photo by Martyna Borkowski via Wikimedia Commons. Yogi Berra.