“It Ain’t Over,” November 7, 2023 (2022), documentary, Netflix. There are plenty of reasons why “It Ain’t Over” has been rated as highly as it has on IMDB. The film is by turns informative, emotional, inspiring, and very funny. Not bad for a movie about a ballplayer who didn’t look like a ballplayer. Yogi Berra was impressive as a person as well as a stellar catcher. He was the league MVP in three of his many season, although I suspect Roy Campanella might rank higher given his 3 MVPs in six years of play. Still, Yogi was someone special and this movie makes that case.
Featuring his granddaughter, the film charts his career from the streets, and they were not easy streets, of St. Louis, through his service in the Navy in WWII, including D-Day rocket boats. He returned to play for the Yankees for a remarkable career that included such highlights as calling Don Larson’s perfect World Series game in 1956. He was one of the games best bad ball hitters. He rarely struck out. He became a stellar coach and manager of championship teams. He played as hard as anyone in the game.
He was beloved for his Yogiisms and his personality. He was a part of American culture in so many way, including some that turned him into a cartoon and caricature.
But it’s no coincidence that Rachel Robinson, widow of Jackie Robinson, and Larry Doby, Jr. both spoke to Yogi’s humanity, his welcoming of Jackie and Larry to ‘the game’ at a time when many players, coaches, announcers, and umpires displayed racist hatred to these pathbreakers. Yogi was inclusive and, years later, signed on as a GLBT ally.
His feud with George Steinbrenner kept him away from Yankee Stadium on principal for years. He finally returned and Don Larson threw him the ceremonial first pitch. David Cone pitched a perfect game that day. Go figure the odds on that one.
Yogi was the real deal.
The film includes testimonials and memories of an amazing cast of baseball characters.