ApexNews
Return to Main
Book

Driving Mr. Yogi: Yogi Berra, Ron Guidry, and Baseball's Greatest Gift

2013

Synopsis

Driving Mr. Yogi is the story of how a unique friendship between a pitcher and catcher is renewed every year. It began in 1999, when Yogi Berra was reunited with the Yankees after a long self-exile, the result of being unceremoniously fired by George Steinbrenner fourteen years before. A reconciliation between Berra and the Boss meant that Berra would attend spring training again. Guidry befriended “Mr. Yogi” instantly. After all, Berra had been a mentor in the clubhouse back when Guidry was pitching for the Yankees. Guidry knew the young players would benefit greatly from Mr. Yogi's encyclopedic knowledge of the game, just as Guidry had during his playing days, so he encouraged Berra to share his insights.

Soon, an offhand batting tip from Mr. Yogi turned Nick Swisher’s season around. Stories about handling a hitter like Ted Williams or catching Don Larsen’s perfect game captured their imaginations. And in Yogi, Guidry found not just an elder companion or source of amusement — he found a best friend.

At turns tender and laugh-out-loud funny, and teeming with unforgettable baseball yarns that span more than fifty years, Driving Mr. Yogi is a universal story about the importance of wisdom being passed from one generation to the next, as well as a reminder that time is what we make of it and compassion never gets old.

Suggested Reading

Bill Dickey: A Baseball Life

"Bill Dickey: A Baseball Life" by Lew Freedman is the first full-length biography of one of the New York Yankees' most enduring and respected figures, the Hall of Fame catcher who anchored the team's lineup and pitching staff from 1928 to 1946. Raised primarily in Arkansas after moving there at age ...

Purchase on Amazon View Details

Yogi: A Life Behind the Mask

Lawrence "Yogi" Berra was never supposed to become a major league ballplayer. That's what his immigrant father told him. That's what Branch Rickey told him, too-right to Berra's face, in fact. Even the lowly St. Louis Browns of his youth said he'd never make it in the big leagues. Yet baseball was...

View Details

Latest News

October 6th, 2022

10 greatest Yankees players of all time, ranked

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you accept our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.