Remembering New York Yankee and Silver Buffalo Recipient Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra, the New York Yankees Hall of Fame catcher, Scouting supporter, and beloved national figure, died yesterday in his New Jersey home. He was 90.

Although famous for his athletic achievements and tongue-in-cheek Yogi-isms, Scouting nation remembers the baseball icon as a passionate champion to the Scouting movement.

In 1991, Berra raised more than $1 million for Scouts with special needs in the New Jersey Council for his annual golf tournament, the Yogi Berra Golf Classic.

Additionally, Berra and his wife, Carmen, established an endowment fund to support special-needs Scouting and other youth programs.

His extraordinary service to the community earned him the Silver Buffalo Award in 2003. 

“It’s a real honor to receive the Silver Buffalo Award,” Berra said in his acceptance speech for the award. “Kids are our future — even if the future isn’t what it used to be.”

Chief Scout Executive Roy Williams expressed high praise for the all-star as he presented him the award.

“[Berra] is a true American legend who believes in the basic values of hard work, common sense, fairness, integrity and commitment — and his good sense of humor has helped to make him an American icon. Yogi embodies the values of the Scout Oath and Law and all that’s great about America.”

The icon also graced the April 1963  cover of Boys’ Life magazine. Inside the editorial, Berra signed, “My best to Boys’ Life readers.”

Learn more about the baseball legend’s commitment to Scouting and check out the full Boys’ Life magazine spread featuring Berra himself by visiting Bryan on Scouting.