#yogi-berra

#yogi-berra

Berra debuted in 1946 but played only seven games that season. He wore No. 38 and No. 35 during his debut season and 35 in 1947, while Bill Dickey, who won eight World Series titles as a Yankees catcher, wore No. 8. Dickey retired as a player following the 1946 season and Aaron Robinson, a 1947 All-Star, inherited No. 8 before Berra. The Yankees retired No. 8 in 1972 to honor both Dickey and Berra.

Hundreds of people, young, old and wearing matching commemorative T-shirts, just finished dancing the "YMCA" on the field at Yogi Berra Stadium at Montclair State University. Little League teams, former MLB players and local politicians laugh and clutch their gloves as volunteers hand out souvenir baseballs. Yankees organist Ed Alstrom plays "Charge!" from a stage in center field, and the crowd responds on cue.