Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Driving Mr. Yogi

Driving Mr. Yogi: Yogi Berry, Ron Guidry, and Baseball's Greatest Gift by Harvey Araton  224 pp.

Yogi Berra is one of the most beloved players in the history of baseball. To Yankees fans and players alike, he is a living legend. To many of the rest of us he is known for his "Yogi-isms," the unintended humorous comments Berra is famous for that have become a part of American speech: "It's deja vu all over again." and "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." (referring to Ruggeri's Restaurant in St. Louis.) Berra's history with the Yankees dates back to his days as a player in the 1940s-60s and as a manager and coach through the 80s. Ron Guidry didn't join the Yankees organization until the 1970s when he was a Cy Young Award winning pitcher. Guidry later became a pitching coach for the team. Berra and Guidry became fast friends and it has become a tradition for Guidry to pick up Berra at the airport every year when the two attend spring training. Guidry is the self-appointed guardian and valet of the older man, discussing and advising players, making the rounds of the local restaurants together, and enjoying Guidry's home cooked Cajun specialties like fried frog legs. In spite of their difference in ages the two became the closest of friends.

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