Hall of Fame catcher, coach, and cultural icon Yogi Berra (1925–2015) was born Lawrence Peter Berra on this day in St. Louis, Missouri. When he was about 12, a friend nicknamed him "Yogi" because he looked like a yoga expert they saw at the movies.

His passion for baseball began early, playing neighborhood sandlot ball, then youth league by age 14.

"If I had to come back to life again, I'd like to be a ballplayer," he once said. Berra served as a Navy gunner's mate and fought at Normandy in 1944.

As a player, Berra helped the New York Yankees win 10 championships from 1947–1962. He won MVP in 1951, 1954, and 1955, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972.

"You can't think and hit at the same time," he said.

After retirement, Berra coached the Mets, Yankees, and Astros. His lovable "Yogi-isms" included, "It ain't over till it's over," and "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

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