NJ Yogi Berra Museum Will Celebrate Baseball Icon At Yankee Stadium

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The legend of Yogi Berra goes well beyond baseball. And the New Jersey museum that bears his name says that it’s only fitting that its 25th-anniversary celebration will be held as part of a tribute day at Yankee Stadium on June 6.

The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center (YBMLC) recently announced that the event at Yankee Stadium will commemorate the late athlete, philosopher and military veteran’s participation in the D-Day invasion of Normandy in 1944.

According to the museum, while Berra signed with the New York Yankees in 1943, he put his baseball career on hold to join the U.S. Navy. During the invasion of Normandy, Berra manned a landing craft support vessel from which he said he "sprayed bullets and rockets across the heavily fortified beach fronts before the troops landed."

Berra, who lived in Montclair, was posthumously awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian honor – in 2015.

The event on June 6 will include a pre-game on-field presentation of this year’s Yogi Berra Museum Awards to people who are carrying on his legacy. Award recipients for 2023 include:

• David Cone - YBMLC Teammate Award Recipient, 5-time World Series Champion. David Cone pitched a perfect game on Yogi Berra Day in 1999, when Yogi returned to Yankee Stadium for the first time in 14 years.
• Suzyn Waldman - YBMLC Carmen Berra Award Recipient, NY Yankees color commentator and Radio Hall of Fame inductee. Suzyn Waldman is a true pioneer, having paved the way for all women in the male-dominated field of sports-broadcasting.
• Anthony Yoseloff - YBMLC Humanitarian Award Recipient, Philanthropist and Community Volunteer, Board member of NY Public Library, New-York Presbyterian, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America and long-time YBMLC supporter. Tony Yoseloff is committed to giving back to the community, as well as being a dedicated Yankee Fan.

The Yogi Berra Museum Awards will be presented by John Flaherty, former MLB player and YES broadcaster. Following the award ceremony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and actor as well as Tony Award nominee Christopher Jackson will perform the national anthem.

“There’s really no better place or time to honor this year’s Yogi Berra Museum Award recipients, who are such outstanding ambassadors for the values that made Yogi an American treasure and that continue to drive the work of his museum,” executive director Eve Schaenen said.

“We’re all looking forward to a fantastic day of celebration and commemoration,” Schaenen added.

RECENT MUSEUM NEWS

MSU PARTNERSHIP – The museum recently announced that it will partner with Montclair State University to bring three week-long sessions of summer baseball camp in Yogi Berra Stadium to players of all abilities, ages 6-13.

ACTION GRANT – In February, the museum announced that it is one of 18 organizations statewide to receive a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. The $15,000 Action grant, which helps organizations implement humanities-based programs, will go towards the creation of a technology-driven exhibition that uses data visualizations along with physical artifacts to capture the story of Major League Baseball and COVID-19 as a window into the greater societal and cultural impact of the pandemic. The exhibition is scheduled to open in 2024.

BILLIE JEAN KING EXHIBIT - In response to popular demand, the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center has extended the run of their current exhibition, organized by the New York Historical Society, Billie Jean King: Champion. Activist. Legend. The traveling exhibition presents more than 75 photographs of King’s extraordinary life, including her journey to achieve 39 Grand Slam titles and the world number one ranking in women's tennis. An inspirational champion on and off the court, King's lifelong advocacy for equality and social justice is brought to life in this first ever exhibition about her life. The exhibition will be open to visiting school groups as well as the general public through Dec. 31, 2023.

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