In his teens, Berra got serious about baseball. He was playing in the minor leagues when he and a neighborhood friend were offered a deal by Cardinals manager Branch Rickey.
After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Berra became one of the Yankees' catchers in 1946. He spent his career with the team, earning a reputation as a hitter who nearly never got struck out.
He hit his career peak in the 1950s, winning the American League Most Valuable Player honors three times. In all, Berra played in 14 World Series and 15 All-Star Games.
Retiring as a player in 1963, Berra soon became a coach for the Yankees. His tenure there proved short, and he quickly moved on to the New York Mets. First a coach and then a manager, Berra led the last-place Mets to an amazing turnaround in 1973. He helped them win the National League title that year, but he left the team two years later.
Berra returned to the Yankees as a coach. In 1984, he was promoted to manager to replace the controversial Billy Martin. Then, at the start of the 1985 season, Berra was fired by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. His final coaching job was with the Houston Astros.