There’s an area in St. Louis that ideally defines the term, “neighborhood.” It’s just south of mid-town and is slightly elevated from the surrounding blocks. It’s called, “The Hill.” One of the reasons it’s so iconic is its 150-year-old legacy as an enclave for Italians.
“The Hill” is still mainly Italian, replete with block after block of small bungalow homes sitting on beautifully manicured lots. On many corners storied Italian restaurants offer rich dishes from the homeland. Italian markets and bakeries also dot the area.
Little about “The Hill” has changed over the past century. Kids still play stickball and fill local parks with pick-up games. In 1950, an astounding sporting feat included five young men from “The Hill” who played on the US soccer team for the World Cup. They went on to beat England and take the title. A movie entitled The Game Of Their Lives chronicled their big win.
That pales compared to the baseball legacy attributed to “The Hill.” Back in the 1930s, two young Italian boys grew up just a street away from each other. One was named Larry. The other – Joe. They were two regular kids who loved playing baseball....
Both went to local Catholic high schools just blocks from each other. Their talent for baseball was probably ignored by the nuns. Both were catchers. Neither went on to college. Somewhere along the line they got noticed.
Larry first played ball for the amateur American Legion team in St. Louis. One afternoon, Larry (his last name was Berra) went to the movies with a Legion teammate. A film they saw was set in India. As they were leaving, Larry’s friend commented how he bore a resemblance to a practitioner of yoga in the movie – a “yogi.” The nickname stuck. Yogi Berra was born.
The rest is history. Berra is still recognized as one of the best catchers in baseball earning the American League’s MVP award three times and appearing in 18 All-Star games. No catcher has surpassed his record for All-Star Game appearances. He was also in 21 World Series from which he received 13 Series rings.
A fixture on the NY Yankees, Yogi set a record for turning the most double plays by an AL catcher over six seasons and caught for three no-hitter games. In 1972, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
As most fans fondly realize, the only thing Yogi is better known for than his baseball ability were his colloquially quizzical comments about practicality and life. They became known as “Yogiisms.”
There are dozens but a few include:
• When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
• You can observe a lot by just watching.
• The future ain’t what it used to be.
• You better cut the pizza into four pieces. I’m not hungry enough to eat six.
• It's like déjà vu all over again.
• No one goes there nowadays, it's too crowded.
• Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.
And, my personal favorite…
• You should always go to other people’s funerals; otherwise, they won’t come to yours.
Yogi is now being honored on the newest USPS postage stamp. The “Forever” issue features an illustration of a smiling Berra wearing his catcher’s vest in front of the words, “Yogi Berra – Baseball All-Star.” Slated to be released on June 28, the stamp will be available in post offices nationwide. If it follows the trend of other baseball greats on stamps such as Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, the stamp will be a huge seller and rise in value as they are snapped up to be used in collector frames.
Yogi died six years ago in 2015. Sadly, Joe – his good friend, neighbor and baseball buddy – isn’t here to see the stamp on which he’s saluted. Joe died in 2016, six months after Yogi. Incidentally, Joe’s last name was Garagiola.
While Yogi played for the Yankees, Joe made headlines of his own catching for his hometown Cardinals. Throughout their lives the two remained best friends. Later in life, Joe Garagiola was quoted saying, "Not only was I not the best catcher in the major leagues, I wasn't even the best catcher on my street."
That’s the kind of friendship that’s still found on “The Hill.”
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