Yogi Berra Turns 90 and Becomes a Bit More Italian

On May 10-15, 2015, Ernesto Milani, an expert of Italian migration and cultural ambassador of many institutions on this occasion (the Italian Baseball League; the City of Cuggiono and its Civic Museum; Sport nel Cuore; and Ecoistituto della Valle del Ticino), visited the campus as a guest scholar under the aegis of the Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies on the occasion of Larry “Yogi” Berra’s 90th birthday. Berra (born in St. Louis, Missouri on May 12, 1925) played for the New York Yankees for almost his entire 19-year baseball career (1946–65) , and he is widely regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball history (see Milani’s essay). Beloved by all for his humble personality and positive attitude, he was also known for his paradoxical quotes, such as “It ain’t over ’til it’s over” and “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Simultaneously denying and confirming his reputation, Berra once stated, “I never said most of the things I said.” His Italian origins made him a hero within the Italian American community, and a reason of great pride for the small town of Cuggiono, Italy, where his father was born.

On the occasion of his birthday party, held at the recently renovated Berra Museum on the Montclair State University campus, Milani bestowed the honorary citizenship to Yogi Berra on behalf of the mayor of Cuggiono. This special recognition is meant to further solidify the link between Italy and the U.S. not only in terms of family ties for Berra, but also in view of an important project that Cuggiono is launching: the emphasis on baseball as a new sport for the youth in a country like Italy traditionally focused on soccer. The project will entail sports-related events as well as initiatives on the history of Italians in America and in particular U.S. baseball champions of Italian origin such as the mythical Berra.

Dr. Teresa Fiore, head of the Inserra Chair at Montclair State University, stated: “It has been a pleasure to be instrumental to Ernesto Milani’s stay on campus on this special occasion, also thanks to the collaboration with the Global Education office on campus. As Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies I am interested in continuing the conversation with the town of Cuggiono, Italy and the various institutions it is bringing together to both celebrate Italian Americans in baseball and support the growth of baseball in Italy. In conjunction with the Italian Program (Department of Spanish and Italian), the Inserra Chair is interested in projects that make the legacy of Italian Americans into an occasion for dynamic exchanges between Italy and the U.S., and in this case, Montclair in particular.”

Sharing Dr. Fiore’s spirit, the mayor of Cuggiono declared: “We are grateful to the Inserra Chair for the support given during Ernesto Milani’s visit at Montclair State University. Our interests are intersecting over a common goal with much potential for the future.”

After the ceremony at the Berra Museum, Milani expressed his excitement about this special occasion: “Meeting Yogi Berra was memorable. He is an idol to the entire Italian American community. He truly embodies the American Dream as the son of Italian emigrants who achieved fame and respect through sport despite his humble origins. He is an inspiration to Italians as well, because he is an example of discipline and dedication, he cherishes his Italian roots and, most of all, he has a generous heart and a positive attitude towards everyone – the youth in particular. I also had the pleasure of interviewing Yogi’s nephew, Lindsay, a brilliant sport journalist who, embracing her uncle’s spirit, is committed to keep his legacy alive. This is the kind of message we are trying to bring back to Italy and to Italian sports for the new generations to come.”

See the video of Ernesto Milani presenting the keys of the Mandamento of Cuggiono to Larry “Yogi” Berra.