The Columbus Day Parade has, since its inception, featured an Italian or Italian American notable figure as the Grand Marshal. In 1975, the honor went to one of the greatest baseball players of all time, Yogi Berra.
Born Lorenzo Pietro Berra in a primarily Italian American neighborhood in St. Loius known as “The Hill,” Berra was one of five siblings and left school after Eighth grade to support his family. He began playing baseball in local leagues where he earned his nickname from the distinct posture he assumed while waiting to bat or pondering a loss.
Berra’s steady ascent to the Major Leagues was unstoppable, and his accumulation of baseball honors is unmatched to this day: 18 times All Star, 10 times World Series victor. He served as a gunner’s mate in the Normandy Beach landings of World War 2, where he refused the Purple Heart after being shot in the left hand because he didn’t want to upset his mother with news of his injuries. In the American canon of sports legends, none match Berra’s combination of talent and keen folk wisdom. He is often credited with popularizing the phrase “It ain’t over ‘till it’s over,” as well as “When you come to a fork in the road, take it,” and “It’s déjà vu all over again.” One of the most iconic photos in baseball history comes from Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956, the only perfect game ever thrown in a World Series Championship, which Berra caught.
Among the illustrious history of the Parade’s Grand Marshals, we can be sure there will never be another quite like Yogi Berra.
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