What I Learned From Yogi Berra

Who doesn’t love Yogi Berra? The baseball legend is considered to be one of the greatest catchers to ever play the game. He went to the World Series an astounding 21 times as a player, coach, or manager. Yogi was also known for his funny one-liners like, “It’s like déjà vu all over again” and “I never said most of the things that I said.” But to me, he was way more than all of that, Yogi was the sweetest, nicest, kindest, and funniest guy I ever met.

Yogi and I both lived in the same town in New Jersey and I first got to know him and his wife, Carmen, about 20 years ago. He became a friend and an incredible role model to me. “Be nice” was one of his mottos and he truly lived it. I watched him be nice to every single person he met. Whether he was being stopped by strangers on the street, or stepping into the kitchen at Rao’s to take pictures with the staff, he was always funny, kind, and real. This is all despite the fact that Yogi really was a shy and humble guy at heart. I met Yogi when I was just starting out, and seeing how he was in the public eye really helped me navigate the world of being someone who occasionally gets recognized. I learned that how I handle myself when I am meeting someone new really comes down to being nice. Yogi was full of words to live by and I’ll never forget the impact he had on my life. It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.