10 Facts You Might Not Know About The Legendary Yogi Berra
By Brad Kallet, WFAN.com
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Yogi Berra was a true national treasure.
The iconic Yankee, who passed away last week at the age of 90, was as well-known for his "Yogi-isms" as he was his illustrious playing career.
His funeral was on Tuesday, and in honor of his remarkable life here are 10 facts you might not know about the Hall of Famer and 13-time World Series champion.
1) Berra played in more World Series games than any player in major league history.
2) He was in the U.S. Navy, and served on a gunboat during the Normandy landings (D-Day) on June 6, 1944.
3) Yogi got his nickname from childhood friend Jack Maguire, who also went on to play in the big leagues. After seeing a movie with a yogi in it, Maguire started calling Berra -- whose birth name is Lawrence -- "Yogi." The name stuck.
4) He never made more than $65,000 in a season.
5) Before agreeing to a deal with the Yankees, Berra had a tryout with the St. Louis Cardinals.
6) Berra homered in his first major league at-bat.
WATCH: YANKEES LEGEND YOGI BERRA CELEBRATED, HONORED AROUND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
7) He dropped out of school in the eighth grade to help support his family financially.
8) One of his books, "The Yogi Book: I Really Didn't Say Everything I Said," made The New York Times Best Seller list when it was released in 1998.
9) Yogi's son, Dale, played in the majors from 1977-87. Another son, Tim, played for the Baltimore Colts in 1974.
10) Berra received an honorary doctorate from Montclair State University in 1996.
Brad Kallet is an editor and columnist for CBSNewYork.com. He has written for TENNIS.com, MLB.com and SMASH Magazine, among others. You can follow him on Twitter @brad_kallet.
