The aim of this blog is to serve as a meeting point to those who study or have studied English philology and, more broadly, to all those who love literature and language.

7 Apr 2009

CATCHER AND PHRASEMAKER


Yogi Berra (born May 12, 1925, in St. Louis, Missouri) is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career for the New York Yankees (in the picture with his teammates he is the second from the left).
Berra is widely regarded as one of the greatest catchers in baseball history. Berra, who quit school very young, is also well known for his pithy comments and witticisms, known as Yogiisms.
Through the years, Berra’s language skills made him famous. Simultaneously denying and confirming his reputation, Berra once stated, "I didn't really say everything I said.".

Here you have some of his most famous examples:

  • "Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical."

  • "You can observe a lot by watching".

  • "If the world were perfect, it wouldn’t be".

  • "If you can’t imitate him, don´t copy him".

  • On why he no longer went to a popular St. Louis restaurant: "Nobody goes there no more; it's too crowded!" .

  • When giving directions to his New Jersey home, which was equally accessible via two different routes: "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

  • On being the guest of honor at an awards banquet: "I'd like to thank all those who made this night necessary."

  • "You can observe a lot by just watching."

  • "Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise they won't come to yours."
As a catcher and phrasemaker, Yogi Berra has had no equal.

1 comment:

  1. Very funny. I especially like the one about the popular restaurant. Difficult to know who was 'somebody' for Berra when he made that judgement!

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