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Grampa Yogi’s pal was no ordinary Joe
- Updated: May 17, 2016
PHOENIX — I heard my Grampa Yogi say a thousand times, I never knew a time when I didn’t know Joe. And I heard Joe Garagiola say a hundred times, I never knew a time when I didn’t know Yogi. And it was the same with the kids and grandkids. Grampa and Joe were so intertwined in each other’s lives that the younger generations of Garagiolas and Berras naturally developed strong relationships, too.
Which is why I was thrilled and honored to be part of the Arizona D-backs’ tribute to Joe prior to their game against the Yankees Monday night at Chase Field. Joe was my Grampa’s best friend for nine decades and the D-backs’ color analyst for 15 of his 57-year, Hall of Fame-broadcasting career. Joe’s stunning wife, Audrie, who was a great friend to my Grammy Carmen, and the three Garagiola children — Joe Jr., senior vice-president of baseball operations for Major League Baseball and former D-backs GM, Steve Garagiola, and Gina Bridgeman — were all in attendance.
The Garagiola children accompanied three children from St. Peter Indian Mission School — which Joe devoted years of his life to helping — onto the field. All three school children threw out ceremonial first pitches. Naturally, they asked me to catch one, alongside MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre and former D-backs manager and broadcaster Bob Brenly. My pitch was over my head, and yes, I dropped it. Torre dropped his, too, and I know Grampa and Joe are upstairs, having a good chuckle at our expense.
Prior to the pitches, during a program officiated by D-backs radio play-by-play announcer Greg Schulte, Torre, D-backs president Derrick Hall, owner Ken Kendrick and Joe Jr. all shared memories of Garagiola, who was a big league catcher, World Series champ, master humorist, brilliant storyteller, and most of all, a wonderful human being and humanitarian.
Joe was a longtime president of the Baseball Assistance Team, which provides confidential financial assistance to former ballplayers, and campaigned tirelessly against the use of smokeless tobacco.
“Joe was just a special individual,” Torre said. “He did so much …
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