America Lost a National Treasure four years ago and I Lost a Hero and Friend - Yogi Berra - May 12, 1925 - September 22, 2015

Yogi Berra, Yankee legend and American icon, died at age 90 four years ago on September 22, exactly 69 years to the day he played his first game in the major leagues for the Yankees in 1946.  Over the course of the next 19 years, he would become the best catcher in the history of baseball as he led the Yankees to an astonishing ten World Series championships in 19 years, and fourteen appearances in the World Series during those years.

In 1949, early in Berra’s Yankee career, his manager assessed him this way in an interview in The Sporting News: “Mr. Berra,” Casey Stengel said, “is a very strange fellow of very remarkable abilities.”

Many people know Yogi more for his off-the-field quotes than his baseball stats but his stats only enhance the legend.  His career spanned the careers of Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, a host of Hall of Famers, and in spite of the hitting reputations of his famous teammates, Yogi drove in more runs during those years than his marquee teammates.

Yogi and Mickey Mantle

Born to Italian immigrants in St. Louis, Yogi dropped out of school after 8th grade to devote his life to baseball.  He served in the Navy in World War II before making his major league debut in 1946.

Yogi and Don Larsen - only perfect game in World Series history

I was born the year he turned pro and during my formative years the kid from St. Louis, about 90 miles down the road from where I lived in Iowa, was a major league super star at catcher, three times MVP, fifteen straight years on the all stars, played in fourteen World series and won ten World championships.

Yogi contesting Jackie Robinson score in World Series

Since I was catcher while winning state championships in Little League and Babe Ruth, the same position as Yogi, he was the role model and reason I was a lifelong Yankees fan, a rare thing in the Midwest.

When I graduated from high school in 1964 I left immediately to visit the Yale campus.  The sports editor who covered my high school career, Al Hoskins of the Ottumwa Courier, joined us in NYC and arranged to get media passes in NYC resulting in dugout and on-field access at the Yankees and Mets stadiums where I got to meet Yogi and the other stars.

Little did I know that twenty years later I would be working for the governor of New Jersey and got to know Yogi and his old teammate Phil Rizzuto up close and personal.  Yogi loved New Jersey and never hesitated to offer his assistance for anything the governor wanted.  He went so far as to host parties at his home in Montclair, NJ where other Hall of Fame players would tell endless stories of the Yogi legend.

No one ever played the game of baseball harder and his career was full of memorable accomplishments.  Yogi the linguist is a legend in his own right and Yogi the person who cared for everyone, especially kids, will never be forgotten.

Yogi has now joined his fellow Hall of Famers among the spirits in the sky and our world will sorely miss what he gave, and never forget his incredible legacy.

                 

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America Lost a National Treasure three years ago and I Lost a Hero and Friend - Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra, Yankee legend and American icon, died at age 90 on September 22, 2015 exactly 69 years to the day he played his first game in the major leagues for the Yankees in 1946.  Over the course of the next 19 years, he would become the best catcher in the history of baseball as he led the Yankees to an astonishing 10 World Series championships in 19 years, and fourteen appearances in the World Series during those years.

In 1949, early in Berra’s Yankee career, his manager assessed him this way in an interview in The Sporting News: “Mr. Berra,” Casey Stengel said, “is a very strange fellow of very remarkable abilities.”

Many people know Yogi more for his off-the-field quotes than his baseball stats but his stats only enhance the legend.  His career spanned the careers of Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, a host of Hall of Famers, and in spite of the hitting reputations of his famous teammates, Yogi drove in more runs during those years than his marquee teammates.

Yogi and Mickey Mantle

Born to Italian immigrants in St. Louis, Yogi dropped out of school after 8th grade to devote his life to baseball.  He served in the Navy in World War II before making his major league debut in 1946.

Yogi and Don Larsen - only perfect game in World Series history

I was born the year he turned pro and during my formative years the kid from St. Louis, about 90 miles down the road from where I lived in Iowa, was a major league super star at catcher, three times MVP, fifteen straight years on the all stars, played in fourteen World series and won ten World championships.

Yogi contesting Jackie Robinson score in World Series

Since I was catcher while winning state championships in Little League and Babe Ruth, the same position as Yogi, he was the role model and reason I was a lifelong Yankees fan, a rare thing in the Midwest.

When I graduated from high school in 1964 I left immediately to visit the Yale campus.  The sports editor who covered my high school career, Al Hoskins of the Ottumwa Courier, joined us in NYC and arranged to get media passes in NYC resulting in dugout and on-field access at the Yankees and Mets stadiums where I got to meet Yogi and the other stars.

Little did I know that twenty years later I would be working for the governor of New Jersey and got to know Yogi and his old teammate Phil Rizzuto up close and personal.  Yogi loved New Jersey and never hesitated to offer his assistance for anything the governor wanted.  He went so far as to host parties at his home in Montclair, NJ where other Hall of Fame players would tell endless stories of the Yogi legend.

No one ever played the game of baseball harder and his career was full of memorable accomplishments.  Yogi the linguist is a legend in his own right and Yogi the person who cared for everyone, especially kids, will never be forgotten.

Yogi has now joined his fellow Hall of Famers among the spirits in the sky and our world will sorely miss what he gave, and never forget his incredible legacy.

                 

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The Battle for Akron by the Boys from Akron - Stephen Curry versus LeBron James - the NBA Championship again, and again, and again, and again…

Four years ago when the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers squared off for the National Basketball Association World Championship, I wrote the following story.  During the last four years nothing seems to have changed.

This year, for the fourth straight year, yet another new NBA record, the same two teams have played for the world championship four years in a row.  For the third time in four years Curry's team reigns supreme, and the seeds of a powerful basketball dynasty might be taking root.

After this year's blowout by Golden State Stephen Curry and LeBron James each have won three world championships.  Between them they are rewriting the record book in scoring, winning, and about every other aspect of basketball.

As the following story tells you, what an irony that the two greatest and most dominating players of the present day NBA were both born in the little town of Akron, Ohio, about forty miles from where world championships between them are now being played, Cleveland of course.

Here is the reprint from the first confrontation between these two giants of the game.

June 5, 2015

National news is captivated by the NBA Championship series that began last night between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden State is led by the Most Valuable Player in the NBA this year, Stephen Curry.  Cleveland is led by returning superstar LeBron James, four time MVP and winner of two NBA Championships.

However, there is more intrigue to this game.  You see, the City of Akron, Ohio, a small city of less than 200,000 people and 39 miles from Cleveland and Lake Erie, is the rubber and tire capitol of the world.  Well the reigning king of the NBA, LeBron, is about to be unseated by the future king Stephen Curry.

Did I mention both were born in Akron.  Indeed,  when Stephen Curry was born in 1988, LeBron was already four years old and entertaining people with with dribbling and shooting exhibitions.  You should read his story, as he and his mother had to overcome some difficult times before he could lay claim to being the King of the NBA.

Curry had a much different ride to the top.  After being born in Akron, he followed his father to Charlotte, North Carolina, then Toronto, then back to Charlotte.  His father was a basketball star for Virginia Tech, then played in the NBA for 16 seasons on five different teams.  His mother had been a volleyball star for Virginia Tech.

The encouragement and opportunity to pursue his love for the hoops came from his parents.  That was fine with young Stephen.  It was a well rounded life and education for him.  Then came time to go to college and show the nation his skills,  The problem was, he was a shrimp physically, and no matter how good he was on the court, college scouts did not think he could survive.  Thus the future king of the NBA could not get a single scholarship offer for college from  a major basketball powerhouse.

In spite of his boyish looks he went to Davidson College and led them to the final eight in the NCAA national tournament.  He was drafted by Golden State and became an immediate super star in his 2009-2010 rookie season. In 2010 and 2014 he was part of the USA National team that won the Gold Medal both times.

Now Curry is playing for the NBA Championship, the highest pinnacle you can achieve in sports, even if you are a shrimp, and darn if he still does not look boyish.

For comparison, at 6' 3" Curry weighs in at 190 pounds, most likely wet, and with a weight belt.  LeBron, on the other hand, towers over him at 6' 8" and weighs about 250 pounds. Side by side it is like a VW Bug facing off with a Mack Truck.
   

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Stephen married his former college sweetheart, Ayesha Alexander, on July 30, 2011 in Charlotte. The couple had their first child, daughter Riley, on July 19, 2012.

Ironically, it is Riley, at two years young, who often upstages her famous father during television interviews.

Seems I remember another very young girl who used to disrupt her understanding and famous father under the glare of media spotlights.  I believe her name was Caroline.

Here is a series of Riley photos demonstrating how Riley can control the future NBA King.

Curry is absolutely the perfect role model for any kid who desires to be perfect.  Last night he proved he belonged in that championship game when his team won the first game 108-100, in overtime.

It may be a long series but the battle for bragging rights in Akron is going to provide some of the best basketball in a long time, and Americans need a break from the nonsense, confusion, and apathy that is sapping our spirit and wounding our pride.

My advice, give yourself a break and watch the clash of titans, it beats watching the Evening Blues, or is that News.

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