In the words of that great philosopher Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over Ôtil it’s over.” So this article can’t conclude without mentioning The Yogi Book. He wants to make one thing perfectly clear. Well, perhaps not perfectly, but he does want to address the misconceptions regarding many of the quotes attributed to him throughout his long and colorful career. Known as “Yogi-isms,” many of these aphorisms have woven themselves into folk-lore stature. Yogi freely admits that some were simply syntactical errors, but if you look under the surface they make a lot of sense.
Take his signature phrase. Viewed in a strictly baseball context, it’s absolutely true. How often has a team been behind late in a game, only to come back from the brink of defeat? From a technical standpoint, it’s accurate as well: a thing is not over until it is over. It’s a phrase worthy of Candide.
Surely there are other ballplayers, as well as us regular folk, who have made similar verbal gaffes, but somehow the amiable Mr. Berra is the leader of the pack.
So whether you’re a “dummy” or a “brain surgeon” regarding baseball, there’s a book out there for whatever your special interest. Step up to the plate, dig in, and enjoy.
Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
