New York Yankees legendary catcher Yogi Berra passed away in 2015. I recently watched a documentary on Berra. Since spring training has started for baseball teams I thought this might be an appropriate and funny column.

Berra was a great player and went on to become a manager. He was an 18-time All-Star, appeared in 14 World Series as a member of the Yankees, and won 10 of them.

But he may be best known for some of his memorable quotes. You may have heard of some of them but did not realize they came from a short, stocky baseball player with a gift for gab.

Here are some of my favorites.

1. When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

2. You can observe a lot by just watching.

3. It ain’t over till it’s over.

4. It’s like déjà vu all over again.

5. No one goes there nowadays, it’s too crowded.

6. Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical.

7. A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.

8. Always go to other people’s funerals; otherwise, they won’t come to yours.

9. We made too many wrong mistakes.

10. Congratulations. I knew the record would stand until it was broken.

11. You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.

12. You wouldn’t have won if we’d beaten you.

13. I usually take a two-hour nap from one to four.

14. Never answer an anonymous letter.

15. Slump? I ain’t in no slump… I just ain’t hitting.

16. How can you think and hit at the same time?

17. The future ain’t what it used to be.

18. I tell the kids, somebody’s gotta win, somebody’s gotta lose. Just don’t fight about it. Just try to get better.

19. It gets late early out here.

20. If the people don’t want to come out to the ballpark, nobody’s going to stop them.

21. We have deep depth.

22. Pair up in threes.

23. Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel.

24. You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going because you might not get there.

25. He hits from both sides of the plate. He’s amphibious.

26. It ain’t the heat, it’s the humility.

27. If you ask me anything I don’t know, I’m not going to answer.

28. So I’m ugly. I never saw anyone hit with his face.

29. The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase.

30. I’m lucky. Usually you’re dead to get your own museum, but I’m still alive to see mine.

31. It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.

I hope a couple of these made you smile or even laugh. Sometimes we need to sit back and take things easier in this old world.

Until next time.

(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)