50 years ago, Yogi helped the Mets to believe

NEW YORK -- In managing the Mets to the World Series against the Athletics, Yogi Berra became the second skipper in baseball history to guide a team to the Fall Classic in both leagues, joining Joe McCarthy.

Berra previously had managed the 1964 Yankees to the World Series, losing to the Cardinals in seven games. Nine years later, the phrase “You gotta believe” was the rallying cry for the Mets, and they played their best baseball during the final weeks of the season.

As late as Aug. 30, the Mets were 61-71 and in last place, 6 1/2 games out of first. Legend has it Berra told the media shortly thereafter, “It’s not over until it’s over.” However, according to media reports, Berra never made that statement that year. In fact, The New York Times quoted Berra saying, “You’re not out until you’re out” the following season.

However, the Amazing Mets were far from finished in 1973, going 21-8 in the final 29 games to finish 82-79, winning the division on the last day of the season in Chicago.

“Being a baseball fan, I was stunned,” said Yogi’s son, Larry. “The Mets were the toast of the town. It was the end of August when they started to win. I started going to the last couple of series [toward the end of the regular season]. It was the pitching and timely hitting.

“The other thing is, the other teams fell apart. Pittsburgh [Pirates] fell apart. Chicago [Cubs] fell apart. The Mets started winning at the right time and held on until the last day of the season.”

When the Mets upset the Reds to win the NL pennant at Shea Stadium, Larry was sitting next to Yogi’s childhood friend and longtime big league player and broadcaster Joe Garagiola in the stands. After Reds third baseman Dan Driessen made the last out of the series, Larry and Garagiola hugged each other, with Garagiola stating, “Oh, that’s Yogi for you. He pulled it out again.”

The only criticism Berra received during the postseason came in Game 6 of the World Series against Oakland. With a 3-2 lead in the Fall Classic, the Mets were a game away from the title, when Berra started Hall of Famer Tom Seaver on short rest instead of a well-rested George Stone, who was having a career year, going 12-3 with a 2.80 ERA. Seaver allowed just two runs in seven innings, but the Mets lost, 3-1, ultimately losing the World Series in Game 7.

Replacing a legend

Berra was a legend because of not only his Hall of Fame playing career in the Bronx, but also his famous Yogi-isms such as "I always thought that record would stand until it was broken," or "Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical."

But in April 1972, Berra had the tough task of replacing another legend -- Mets manager Gil Hodges, who succumbed to a heart attack following a round of golf with his coaching staff. Hodges had become an icon in Queens four years earlier for guiding the Miracle Mets to an unexpected World Series title against the heavily favored Orioles.

Berra was reluctant at first to take the job. But after talking to his wife, Carmen, Yogi decided to do it.

“It was more than replacing a legend,” said Berra’s granddaughter, Lindsay Berra, who is a board member at the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center. “Gil Hodges was a dear friend of my grandfather’s. That was a devastating loss.

“Obviously, Grandpa wanted to carry on what Gil was doing. He was probably devastated that he actually had to do that, because he had lost his friend. My family has stayed close with the Hodges over the years.”

In their first year under Berra in ‘72, the Mets were hit by injuries to major players such as Rusty Staub, Cleon Jones and Bud Harrelson, but New York managed to finish in third place with a 83-73 record.

After making his mark in 1973, Berra remained the team’s skipper until Aug. 5, 1975, when he was replaced by Roy McMillan. In three-plus seasons with the Mets, Berra compiled a 292-296 record.

Felix Millan, the team’s starting second baseman in 1973, said he enjoyed playing for Yogi Berra.

“Playing for Yogi Berra and the fans in New York, it was a thrill,” Millan said. “He wanted you to play 162 games and give 100 percent all the time. Yogi was a great guy.”

Backup catcher Ron Hodges was not a stranger to Yogi. He played with Larry Berra when both were with Class A Pompano Beach, a Mets Minor League affiliate.

“Yogi was great. He was very good to play for. A winner. Whatever he did was right to help us to win,” Hodges said.