Book Review: My Dad, Yogi
Katie 
My Dad, Yogi, was written by Yogi’s son, who was also a baseball player. He fell victim to drugs in the 80s, but his Dad saved him. This book is an inside look to his life and death, that only a son could write. Did you know that the cartoon Yogi Bear was named after Yogi Berra? Did he really say all of those Yogi-isms that are attributed to him? Yogi enlisted after Pearl Harbor and the best clothes he had were his GI fatigues and boots. This book is written by his son Dale, but there are also inserts from his brothers Larry and Timmy. Dale also recounts his time in the big leagues and what it was like for him with his father coaching. Very interesting book and a lot of insight that you can only get from family.
I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
A candid and nostalgic father-son memoir by Dale Berra, providing a unique perspective on his legendary Hall of Fame dad, the inimitable and highly quotable Yogi Berra.
Everyone knows Yogi Berra. The American icon was the backbone of the New York Yankees through ten World Series Championships, managed the National League Champion New York Mets in 1973, and had an ingenious way with words that remains an indelible part of our lexicon. But no one knew him like his family did. My Dad, Yogi is Dale Berra’s chronicle of his unshakeable bond with his father, as well as an intimate portrait of one of the great sports figures of the 20th Century.
When Yogi wasn’t playing or coaching, or otherwise in the public eye, he was home in the New Jersey suburbs, spending time with his beloved wife, Carmen, and his three boys, Larry, Tim, and Dale. Dale presents — as only a son could — his family’s history, his parents’ enduring relationship, and his dad’s storied career. Throughout Dale’s youth, he had a firsthand look at the Major Leagues, often by his dad’s side during Yogi’s years as a coach and manager. The Berra’s lifelong family friends included Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Whitey Ford. It’s no coincidence that all three Berra sons were inspired to play sports constantly, and that all three became professional athletes, following in their dad’s footsteps.
Dale came up with the Pittsburgh Pirates, contributing to their 1979 championship season and emerging as one of baseball’s most talented young players. After three strong seasons, Dale was traded to New York, briefly united with his dad in the Yankee dugout. But there was also an extraordinary challenge developing. Dale was implicated in a major cocaine scandal involving some of the biggest names in the sport, and his promising career was ultimately cut short by his drug problem. Yogi supported his son all along, eventually staging the intervention that would save Dale’s life, and draw the entire family even closer. My Dad, Yogi is Dale’s tribute to his dad — a treat for baseball fans and a poignant story for fathers and sons everywhere.
