Yogi Berra's most memorable sayings
In addition to his sublime play on the diamond, Yogi Berra, the legendary Yankee who passed away Tuesday at the age of 90, was known for his memorable quips.
His quirky sayings helped sculpt his lovable image and made him a celebrity who transcended baseball, even though he sometimes denied having said some of the phrases attributed to him, once saying, "I really didn't say everything I said."
Whether or not he said them verbatim, one thing is certain: Berra's quotes have entered the American lexicon like few athletes before him and they helped make him one of the most beloved figures of his time.
As we remember Yogi, here is a sampling of some of the most famous sayings that have been attributed to the Yankees icon.
• Perhaps his most famous of all: "It ain't over 'til it's over."
• "Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical."
• On posterity: "I always thought that record would stand until it was broken."
• "You can observe a lot by watching."
• "If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be."
• About a St. Louis restaurant: "No one goes there anymore. It's too crowded."
• About the effect of the sun in left field in the old Yankee Stadium during late-season games: "It gets late early out there."
• About Bill Dickey: "He learned me all his experience."
• "If people don't want to come to the ballpark, how are you going to stop them?"
Yogi Berra passes away; HOF legend was 90
• "We made too many wrong mistakes."
• "Pie a la mode, with ice cream."
• "I wish I had an answer to that, because I'm tired of answering that question."
• "You tell the stupidest questions."
• "Never answer an anonymous letter."
• On the great Sandy Koufax: "I can see how he won 25 games. What I don't understand is how he lost five."
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• On lining up for a Spring Training drill: "Pair 'em up in threes."
• On the 1973 Mets: "We were overwhelming underdogs."
• The recording heard on the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center's phone: "This message won't be over 'til it's done."
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• "In baseball, you don't know nothing."
• On being honored in his hometown of St. Louis during his rookie season: "I want to thank everybody for making this day necessary."
• "The future ain't what it used to be."
• "Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel."
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• On pregame preparation: "I usually take a two-hour nap from 1 to 4."
• On advising a young player trying to emulate the great Frank Robinson's swing: "If you can't imitate him, don't copy him."
• "I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did."
• "All pitchers are liars or crybabies."
• On his hitting approach: "I can't think and hit at the same time."
• "So I'm ugly. I never saw anyone hit with his face."
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• "He hits from both sides of the plate. He's amphibious."
• "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."
• On economics: "A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore."
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• "Always go to other people's funerals. Otherwise, they won't come to yours."
• And last but certainly not least: "It's deja vu all over again."