Remembering Yogi…

I was very sad this morning to learn that baseball legend Yogi Berra passed away last night. For many years, my mother worked closely with Yogi, and he was like a member of our extended family. I first met Yogi two decades ago when I was the captain of my softball team — over dinner, with his legendary humor and charm, he gave me wonderful advice on how to play ball and be a good leader. While I was always astounded by his record on the field, I came to appreciate him even more for his record off the field in promoting sports as a way to build community, foster ethical conduct, and empower people from different backgrounds. I remember being particularly moved by his insistence on recognizing women in sports, promoting gender equity, advocating for social justice, and making his baseball camp accessible to children with disabilities. He wanted everyone to experience the joy of baseball. From driving to our home on Christmas Day to serving up many memorable moments with my mother at work and on the road, Yogi was always a warm and inspiring presence. Yogi had a wonderful, full life, and he will undoubtedly be very missed by his many fans — and, most of all, by those of us who were lucky enough to meet and know him (and yes, he really did speak in Yogi-isms all the time)…