As an aficionado of baseball, I m saddened by the passing away of one of the true greats who ever played the game. Lawrence Peter Berra, a.k.a. Yogi, was one of my idols growing up in New York City in the 1950s.
Baseball great Yogi Berra died on Tuesday at age 90. (Associated Press file)
His stats as a player are monumental: 18 all-star years, three MVP awards and 10 world championships with the Yankees. He is a true Hall of Famer. But Yogi was more than that. He was an icon. Off the field, his wit and humor have made him a unique and ubiquitous figure in American culture. Yogisms will live forever.
As a youth playing the game, I always wore No. 8 in Yogi s honor. I and most of baseball fans loved him as a persona who loved and respected the game.
I m sure that when Yogi gets to that fork in the road to eternity, St. Peter will greet him and direct him in the right direction.
Love ya, Yogi. Rest in peace.
Peter Bruno, Arvada
This letter was published in the Sept. 24 edition.
