Barack Obama 2015-07-01 2 Statement on the Death of Lawrence P. "Yogi" Berra September 23, 2015 Yogi Berra was an American original: a Hall of Famer and humble veteran, prolific jokester and jovial prophet. He epitomized what it meant to be a sportsman and a citizen, with a big heart, competitive spirit, and a selfless desire to open baseball to everyone, no matter their background. Michelle and I offer our deepest condolences to his family, his friends, and his fans in New York and across the world.