What was Yogi Berra's Net Worth?
Yogi Berra was an American professional baseball player and manager who had a net worth of $5 million. Berra played 19 seasons in MLB, becoming an 18-time All-Star and winning 10 World Series championships as a player - the most in MLB history. He spent nearly his entire career with the New York Yankees and is considered one of the greatest catchers of all time.
Early Life
Lawrence Peter Berra was born on May 12, 1925, in St. Louis, Missouri, in an Italian-American neighborhood known as The Hill. His parents, Pietro and Paolina, were Italian immigrants. He grew up across the street from his friend and future competitor Joe Garagiola Sr. Berra attended St. Mary's High School and started playing baseball in local American Legion Baseball leagues, where he earned the nickname "Yogi" from his friend Jack Maguire, who thought Berra's posture resembled that of an Indian yogi shown in a newsreel.
Baseball Career
In 1942, Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola were offered minor league contracts by the St. Louis Cardinals. However, Berra declined his $250 contract when he learned that Garagiola had been offered $500. The New York Yankees quickly signed Berra, matching the $500 bonus the Cardinals had offered Garagiola.
Berra played for the Norfolk Tars and then served in WWII before resuming his baseball career with the Newark Bears. He was called up to the Major Leagues in 1946 and went on to become a key player and manager in baseball history. Berra was an All-Star for 18 seasons with the Yankees, with 15 consecutive selections. He won 13 World Series Championships (10 as a player, three as a manager) and was one of six players to be named American League MVP three times. His No. 8 jersey is retired by the Yankees. His peak salary as a player was $61,000 in 1961, which equates to about $520,000 today.
Berra concluded his baseball career with a .285 batting average, 358 home runs, and 1,430 RBIs. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 and is honored in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.
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Personal Life
In January 1949, Yogi Berra married Carmen Short. The couple had three sons and lived in Montclair, New Jersey. Their son Dale played shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros. Tim played professional football for the Baltimore Colts in 1974, and Larry played for three minor league teams in the New York Mets organization. Carmen passed away in March 2014, shortly after celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. Following her passing, Berra listed their Montclair home for $888,000, a nod to his uniform number.
Yogi Berra passed away in his sleep at the age of 90 on September 22, 2015.
Montclair Home
At the time of his death, Yogi Berra lived in a 4,500 square-foot home in Montclair, New Jersey. About a year before his death, he sold this home for $988,888.
