I first wrote about the relationship between Yogi Berra and Ron Guidry for the New York Times during spring training 2011. Interviewing Guidry outside the Yankees’ clubhouse in Tampa, listening to him talk about his love for “the old man,” brought tears to my eyes. I knew I had stumbled onto something quite rare and guessed—correctly, as it turned out—that there was much more to the story than a 1,500-word newspaper article could convey.
To my editors at the Times—Joe Sexton, Sandy Keenan, and Jay Schreiber—thank you for being so kind to the story and pushing to land it on A-1. My agent, Andrew Blauner, picked up the ball from there and encouraged me to pursue the project. Soon after, we were incredibly fortunate when Susan Canavan of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt burst into the room with her extraordinary energy and passion for envisioning, shaping, and editing the book. Thank you, Ashley Gilliam, for keeping us connected and focused, and Barbara Jatkola and Beth Burleigh Fuller for your deft handling of the manuscript.
Without Dave Kaplan’s help on all things Yogi, this would have been a much more formidable task. Thank you to Ron and Bonnie Guidry for opening their home and their hearts. To Carmen and Yogi, my Montclair neighbors, I can only say bravo, you enrich our community and the country. Thank you to the Berra brothers—Larry, Tim, and Dale—and a special nod to granddaughter Lindsay for sharing her insights, along with her crispy bacon at the Bluestone.
Books are hard. They require an early morning discipline I never had as a young man and the encouragement and support of many people. They snatch away huge chunks of life. Fortunately, I had Alex Araton, my quick-fingered son, to transcribe interviews (with some of his beloved Yankees), along with the budding sports journalist Emily Kaplan. I had my amazing wife, Beth Albert, to read back and tolerate my ramblings, and my son Charly Araton to keep me entertained during our lunchtime breaks.
Thanks, as always, to my family and friends, who help keep me quasi-sane: my mother, Marilyn Araton, and her significant other, Abe Babitzky; my aunt Ruth Finkelstein; my in-laws, David and Ruth Albert; my sisters, Sharon Kushner and Randi Waldman; my nieces, Mindy Kushner-Hall, Devon Albert-Stone, and Emma Albert-Stone; my nephews, David Kushner, Matt Waldman, and LeJuan Hall; my sisters-in-law, Dana Albert and Hilary Albert; my brothers-in-law, Ashley Stone and Allan Waldman. To my special cousins, Stan and Richie Finkelstein and Gail Kashubo—our fathers would have appreciated this one.
Harvey Araton
Montclair, New Jersey
Index
Acadians (Cajuns) history, [>]–[>]
Aflac commercial, [>]–[>], [>]
Allen, Mel, [>], [>], [>]
Allen, Woody, [>]
Alomar, Roberto, [>]
Alou, Felipe, [>]
Alston, Walter, [>]
Amoros, Sandy, [>]
Andrews, Shane, [>]
Appel, Marty, [>], [>]
Ball Four (Bouton), [>], [>]
baseball strike (1981), [>]
Baylor, Don, [>]
Beckett, Josh, [>]
Berra, Carmen
9/11 attacks, [>]
Cooperstown (2011), [>], [>]
Denise Duke and, [>]
Guidry’s frog legs, [>]–[>]
husband’s diet, [>]–[>]
husband’s fall (2010), [>], [>]–[>]
husband’s fall (2011), [>], [>], [>]
husband’s health, [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>], [>], [>], [>], [>], [>]
husband’s smoking/chewing tobacco, [>], [>], [>]
husband/Steinbrenner and, [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>]
Kaplans’ anniversary, [>]–[>]
Larsen’s perfect game, [>]
Mets and, [>]
spring training and, [>], [>]
spring training plans (2011) and, [>], [>]
Steinbrenner, [>], [>]
Swisher’s wedding, [>]
Yankees’ Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony, [>], [>]
Yogi Berra Day (1999), [>], [>], [>]
Berra, Dale
on father, [>], [>]
father and Yankees, [>]
father being fired, [>], [>], [>]
father/Steinbrenner reconciliation, [>]–[>], [>]–[>]
name origins, [>]
spring training and, [>]
Steinbrenner’s death, [>]
Yankees’ Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony, [>]
Yogi Berra Day (1999), [>]–[>]
Berra, Josie, [>]
Berra, Larry
on father, [>], [>], [>]
father’s falls, [>], [>]
father’s punctuality, [>]–[>]
godfather of, [>]
Guidry and, [>]
spring training and, [>]
Yankees and, [>]
Yankees’ Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony, [>]
Berra, Lindsay
Bonnie Guidry and, [>]
grandfather as Yankee manager, [>]
grandfather’s fall (2011), [>]–[>]
as reporter, [>]
Yankees’ Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony, [>]
Yogi Berra Day (1999), [>]
Berra, Paulina, [>], [>], [>]
Berra, Pietro, [>]–[>], [>]
Berra, Serena, [>]
Berra, Tim, [>], [>], [>]
Berra, Tony, [>]
Berra, Yogi
9/11 attacks, [>]–[>]
basketball, [>]
Classic Look salon, [>]–[>]
colt named after, [>]–[>]
devotion/friends, [>]–[>]
friends in need and, [>]
golf, [>]–[>], [>]
golf charity events, [>]–[>], [>]
golf (charity) tournament of, [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>]–[>]
home of, [>]
imitations of, [>], [>]
Jaguar and, [>]–[>], [>]
language and, [>]
public-service commercial, [>]
punctuality, [>], [>], [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>]
relationship with wife (“trench-mate”), [>]–[>], [>]
routine and, [>], [>]–[>], [>]
vodka (Ketel One), [>]–[>], [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]
World War II, [>], [>]–[>]
See also Guidry, Ron/Berra; specific events/individuals; Steinbrenner, George/Berra
Berra, Yogi/background
childhood, [>]–[>], [>], [>]–[>]
full name, [>]
neighborhood sandlot games, [>]–[>]
nickname origins, [>]–[>]
parents, [>]–[>]
siblings, [>], [>], [>]
Berra, Yogi/baseball
1949 season, [>]–[>]
1955 World Series/Robinson slide, [>]–[>]
1960 World Series, [>]
1964 season/being fired, [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>]–[>], [>]
1976 season, [>], [>]–[>], [>]
1981 baseball strike, [>]–[>]
1985 season/being fired, [>]–[>], [>]
2000s Yankee events and, [>]
autographs/fans and, [>]–[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>]–[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>]–[>]
as bad-ball hitter, [>]
books by, [>]
boycott of Yankee Stadium, [>], [>]–[>], [>]
ceremonial Opening Day pitch (1999), [>], [>]
club news and, [>]
coach (1976), [>]
Hall of Fame, [>]–[>]
Houston Astros, [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>]
Jackson/Martin near brawl (1977) and, [>]–[>]
Japan trip (2004), [>]
jokes about (early career), [>]–[>], [>]
last playing season, [>]
merchandising, [>]
Mets, [>], [>], [>], [>]
Monument Park, [>], [>], [>]
MVPs, [>], [>]
parents objections to his playing, [>]–[>]
retiring his number, [>]
rookie year number, [>]–[>]
skepticism on becoming major-league player, [>]–[>]
Sports Illustrated (1984 cover), [>], [>]
tryout/signing bonus, [>]
views on firings, [>]–[>]
Yankee awards (summary), [>]–[>]
Yankee beginnings, [>]–[>]
Yankee family/riding rails, [>]
Yankees’ Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony, [>]–[>]
as Yankees manager (1964), [>]
as Yankees manager (1984), [>]–[>]
Yogi Berra Day (1959), [>]
Yogi Berra Day (1999), [>]–[>]
Yogi Berra Day game (1999), [>]–[>], [>]
See also Guidry, Ron/Berra; specific events/individuals; Steinbrenner, George/Berra
Berra, Yogi/baseball spring training (2000)
7-Eleven store and, [>]
adjustments, [>], [>], [>]
Berra’s workouts, [>]–[>]
church and, [>]
Donohue and, [>]–[>]
effects on other players, [>]–[>], [>]–[>]
routine and, [>], [>]–[>], [>]–[>]
Berra, Yogi/baseball spring training
accommodations, [>]–[>]
fall (2011), [>]–[>]
Maddon’s catch of, [>]
Merrill (2006) and, [>]–[>], [>]–[>]
preparations made for, [>], [>]
“shorter” way to away game, [>]
See also Guidry, Ron/Berra spring training
Berra, Yogi/health
at [>], [>]
chewing tobacco/smoking, [>]–[>], [>]
Coumadin and, [>], [>]
diet, [>], [>]–[>]
fall (2011), [>]–[>]
fall/hospitalization (2010), [>], [>]–[>], [>]
workouts, [>]–[>]
Bevens, Bill, [>]–[>]
Biggio, Craig, [>]
Blair, Paul, [>], [>]
Blomberg, Ron, [>]
Blueprint [>], The (album), [>]–[>]
Blyleven, Bert, [>]
Bob Hope Classic, [>]–[>], [>]
Boone, Aaron, [>], [>], [>]
Bouton, Jim, [>]–[>], [>]
Brackman, Andrew, [>]
Branca, Ralph, [>]
Brett, George, [>], [>]
Bronander, Joni, [>]–[>]
Brosius, Scott, [>], [>], [>]
Burnett, A. J., [>]
Bush, George W., [>], [>]
Cabrera, Orlando, [>]
Campanella, Roy, [>]
Cano, Robinson, [>]
Cashman, Brian, [>], [>], [>]–[>]
Castillo, Luis, [>]
Cerone, Rick, [>], [>]
Cerrone, Rick
autograph from Berra, [>]
role with Yankees, [>], [>]
Steinbrenner/Berra reconciliation, [>]–[>], [>]–[>], [>]–[>]
Chamberlain, Joba, [>]–[>]
Chambliss, Chris, [>], [>]
Chernoff, Mark, [>]
Chiles, Lawton, [>]
Clemens, Roger, [>]
Clinton, Bill, [>]
Cone, David
2000 World Series, [>]
Berra and, [>]–[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]
Yogi Berra Day ceremonies, [>]–[>]
Yogi Berra Day perfect game, [>], [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>]–[>]
Cooper, Alice, [>]
Crystal, Billy, [>]
Cucuzza, Lou, Jr.
Berra and, [>], [>], [>], [>]–[>]
Berra’s fall and, [>]–[>]
Cucuzza, Lou, Sr., [>]
Damon, Johnny, [>]
De Niro, Robert, [>]
Dent, Bucky
baseball career, [>], [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>]
Steinbrenner and, [>]–[>], [>]
Dent, Stormy, [>]–[>]
Dickey, Bill, [>], [>]
Diehl, Arthur F., III (“General”)
9/11 and, [>]
background, [>], [>]
Berra and, [>], [>]–[>]
Guidry and, [>]–[>], [>]–[>]
Steinbrenner and, [>]
war on terror, [>], [>]
Yankees and, [>], [>]–[>]
DiMaggio, Joe
baseball career/status, [>], [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>]
Berra/Steinbrenner and, [>]
death, [>]
personality, [>]
signatures, [>]
Doby, Larry, [>]
Doerr, Bobby, [>], [>]–[>]
Dolan family, [>]
Donald, Atlee, [>]
Donohue, Steve
Berra and, [>], [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>]–[>], [>], [>], [>]
Driving Mr. Yogi Page 23
