President Barack Obama and 2016 presidential candidates paid tribute to legendary baseball player Yogi Berra – a cultural icon and one of the greatest catchers in history – who died Tuesday night at the age of 90.
“Yogi Berra was an American original – a Hall of Famer and humble veteran; prolific jokester and jovial prophet,” Obama said in a statement. “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.”
Sharing one of Berra’s most famous quotes, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton tweeted “‘Baseball is 90% mental—the other half is physical.’ Yogi gave everything at least 140%. We’ll miss him. My prayers are with his family.”
In light of Pope Francis’ historic trip to the United States, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush tweeted an anecdote about Berra and Pope John XXIII.
“When asked if he had an audience with Pope John XXIII, Yogi Berra replied ‘No, but I met with him.’ Am sure they’re meeting again today. RIP,” Bush tweeted.
And billionaire real-estate mogul Donald Trump shared a photo of himself with Berra at the Trump National Golf Club in Westchester, New York on Instagram.
“Yogi Berra was not only a great baseball player, he was a great guy. Yogi will be missed,” Trump wrote.
