YOGI BERRA Eternal Yankee

Allen Barra sets out to write a definitive biography of the Yankee great, covering his upbringing in an Italian family in St. Louis, his Navy service, and his stellar career. It seems the author’s goal is to convince listeners that Berra is the greatest catcher of all time and that he is much smarter than his reputation and “Yogi-isms” would lead one to believe. Norman Dietz gives voices to Berra's teammates, mostly through simple inflections. His two best voices are, thankfully, those of Berra and his manager, Casey Stengal. Berra is given an endearing incredulous pitch, which makes his statements sound like questions. Stengal has a likable crusty voice. After listening, fans will find it hard to argue Barra's assertion of Yogi's greatness. M.B. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2009]