Baseball great Yogi Berra dead at 90

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Yogi Berra, the beloved New York Yankees catcher known for his winning streak on the field and his unwitting witticisms, died late Tuesday. He was 90.

Born Lawrence Peter Berra, the three-time American League MVP and a Hall of Famer was known as one of the greatest catchers in baseball history, but also a character. So much so, he was the inspiration for a wisecracking cartoon bear by the same name.

Berra's death was reported by the Yankees and by the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center in Little Falls, N.J.

"While we mourn the loss of our father, grandfather and great-grandfather, we know he is at peace with Mom," Berra's family said in a statement released by the museum. "We celebrate his remarkable life, and are thankful he meant so much to so many. He will truly be missed."

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Yogi Berra passed away Tuesday night at the age of 90. #YogiBerra pic.twitter.com/0BSctBzhTb

— Yogi Berra Museum (@Yogi_Museum) September 23, 2015

The New York Yankees and MLB described him as an "American hero."

Berra was named the American League's most valuable player in 1951, 1954 and 1955 and led the Yankees to world championships from 1949 to 1953. He also led the team in RBIs for seven seasons from 1949 to 1955. He was an 18-time All-Star and inducted into the 1972 Baseball Hall of Fame. That same year his No. 8 Yankees uniform was retired.

After his run with the Yankees, he became the team's manager in 1964 but was fired after losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. He joined the New York Mets as a player and a coach but was again fired, and later re-hired as the Yankees manager. He was fired again in 1985. He finished his baseball career in 1992 as the Houston Astros coach.

The son of Italian immigrants, Berra dropped out of school in the 8th grade to support his family by playing ball. He later served in the U.S. Navy, including as a ship gunner during the D-Day invasion on Normandy. He was nicknamed Yogi by a childhood friend who thought he looked like a yogi, an Indian holy man, when he sat.

Berra was the inspiration for Yogi Bear, who made his debut in 1958, and was known for his colorful vernacular that became ingrained in the American lexicon: "It's deja vu, all over again" and "It's not over till it's over" as just some of the favorites.

In March 2014, Berra's wife of 65 years, Carmen, died. They have three sons, 11 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.