Lawrence Peter aka Yogi Berra was born on May 12, 1925 in St. Louis , Mo. and had his upbringing in a neighboring place called "The Hill". Berra played as a catcher for almost his entire career for the New York Yankees. Later he also managed the league for sometime. Berra was earlier nicknamed Lawdie, a naughty manipulation of his name Lawrence . While he was a player, Yogi Berra carried a public image of a lovable person being one of the most powerful clutch bats in the American League. As a manager, he showed a crustier side of his personality and guided in winning a pennant with a New York club in each league. He among the only four players earn the Most Valuable Player award of the American League three times and one of only six managers to pilot both American and National League teams to the World Series. His nick Yogi was given to him by a friend who said he looked alike a Hindu holy man (yogi). The Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Yogi Bear was also named after Yogi Berra. Berra got his basic lessons of play as a catcher while playing in local American Legion leagues. He was first proposed by St. Louis Cardinals to play with them but Berra signed with the Yankees in 1942. While the World War II was going on, Yogi took part in the D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach , served in North Africa and Italy before being finally called back to States. After the war was over, Yogi came back and played with the New London , CT club. Yogi again started his career with the Yankees in late 1946. He joined the team as a catcher with Aaron Robinson, Charlie Silvera and Gus Niarhos. Berra has turned 35 yrs old and wore uniform number 38 at that time. He switched to number 8 in 1948, which was famous his number for the rest of his career with the Yankees and Mets. Number 8 was retired in 1972 by the Yankees honoring both Berra and Bill Dickey who was his forerunner as the Yankees' star catcher. In his long 19-year career with the Yankees, Yogi Berra was a 15-time All-Star player and won the MVP award in 1951, 1954 and 1955. Yogi was selected as Yankees Manager in 1964 and lead the league to win the AL pennant. Unfortunately the team lost to the Cardinals in a seven-game series and Berra was expelled from his position. In 1972, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.