'Yogi Berra Should Be Awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom'

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you might wind up someplace else.”

One of the infamous maxims from longtime Essex County resident and baseball icon Yogi Berra perfectly describes his own life.

Sure, he’s a Hall of Fame catcher. But did you also know that he served with the U.S. Navy during the D-Day invasion?

That’s why Yogi fans from across the nation are petitioning the White House to award Berra with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The online petition has garnered 109,812 signatures as of Tuesday, June 9… well above the threshold necessary to get an official reply.

The petition states that:

“Yogi Berra should be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A man of unimpeachable integrity and respect, he befriended the first black and Latino baseball players in Major League Baseball. He is currently an ambassador for Athlete Ally, which promotes LGBT rights in sports. Berra enlisted in the U. S. Navy during World War Il and served during the D-Day invasion. He continues to be an avid supporter of our armed forces. Berra greatly values education. While with the Yankees, he created a scholarship at Columbia University that is still active 50 years later. His namesake Museum & Learning Center serves 20,000 students annually with character education programs and teaches the values of respect, sportsmanship and inclusion that Berra has demonstrated throughout his life and career.”

What’s the next step? According to Petitions.WhiteHouse.gov:

“If a petition gets enough support, White House staff will review it, ensure it’s sent to the appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response.”

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