Yogi Berra

Allen Barra sets out to write a definitive biography of the Yankee great, covering his upbringing in an Italian family in St. Louis, his Navy service, and his stellar career. It seems the author's goal is to convince listeners that Berra is the greatest catcher of all time and that he is much smarter than his reputation and "Yogi-isms" would lead one to believe. Norman Dietz gives voices to Berra's teammates, mostly through simple inflections. His two best voices are, thankfully, those of Berra and his manager, Casey Stengal. Berra is given an endearing incredulous pitch, which makes his statements sound like questions. Stengal has a likable crusty voice. After listening, fans will find it hard to argue Barra's assertion of Yogi's greatness. M.B. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

January 19, 2009
In the introduction to his latest effort, Barra (The Last Coach: A Life of Paul “Bear” Bryant
) says that one of his goals was to create the first comprehensive work written about Yogi Berra, the greatest ballplayer never to have had a serious biography. The result is not only comprehensive but also incredibly engaging, as Barra narrates the life of one of the most eccentric ballplayers of the 20th century. Starting with his modest Italian upbringing in St. Louis, Mo., Berra quickly took a liking to what his father called a bum's game. And after a short career in the navy, he parlayed his talents into one of the most decorated athletic careers in history, leading the New York Yankees to 10 World Series championships and winning three MVPs. Each of Berra's baseball highlights is meticulously described, as are his stints as a manager for both the Yankees and crosstown Mets, his relationships with men like Casey Stengel, Mickey Mantle and George Steinbrenner, and his ability to create some of the most famous catchphrases of our time, Yogiisms, as they're called. Barra's love of the catcher with the similar name is evident throughout this deserving biography of Yogi.