Whenever Yogi Berra came to a fork in the road, he took it, going from being a quiet son of immigrants in St. Louis to a Hall of Fame catcher, a Yankees icon and one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in American life. As for the immense popularity that has lasted more than a half-century, to quote half of his most famous saying, "It ain't over.'' Nor will it ever be.
Smiles overtook sadness in the thousands of tributes that were poured out after Berra's death Tuesday night at 90. The word "Yogi'' translated to joy for a country that was on a first-name basis with him as it has been with few, if any, other athletes.