It was announced by the White House on Monday that Yankees legend Yogi Berra, who passed away at the age of 90 in September, will posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The longtime Montclair, N.J., resident is one of 17 to receive the nation's highest honor. (Another baseball legend, Willie Mays, is included in the group.)
A few hours after the news was announced, Yankees' principal owner Hal Steinbrenner released a statement to congratulate the Berra family and praised the decision to bestow the honor on the Hall of Fame catcher:
"On behalf of the entire Yankees organization, we congratulate the family of Yogi Berra for his inclusion among upcoming recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.