Dale Berra

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On September 9, 1985, Berra testified during the cocaine distribution trial of Curtis Strong that he shared cocaine with other members of the Pirates. [8]

On February 28, 1986, Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth suspended several players including Berra. The suspensions were waived with a commitment for community service and donations of 10% of their salaries for one year. [9]

Houston Astros

Lou Piniella was named the Yankees' manager in 1986 and Berra was released on July 27. Shortly afterwards, he was signed by the Houston Astros where Yogi Berra was a coach. Dale spent the rest of the 1986 season with Houston's triple-A affiliate.

After spending most of 1987 with triple-A Tucson, Berra debuted with the Astros on August 15. He batted .178 in 19 games for the Astros, and was released at the end of the season. [10] He spent the 1988 season in the Baltimore Orioles' system before retiring.

Personal life

A resident of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Berra was charged in April 1989 with cocaine possession as part of an investigation into a drug ring that was distributing as much as $20,000 in cocaine weekly in northern New Jersey. [11] After three years in the Pretrial Intervention Program, the charges were dismissed. [12]

In 1990, Berra was running a construction company in Cranford, New Jersey. [13] He is one of the principals of LTD Enterprises, which controls the brand image of his father. [14]

Berra played more games than any son of a Hall-of-Famer, topping Dick Sisler (853 to 799). His older brother, Larry, played briefly in the New York Mets organization, [15] and his older brother, Tim, played with the Baltimore Colts in 1974. [16]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Araton, Harvey. Driving Mr. Yogi: Yogi Berra, Ron Guidry, and Baseball's Greatest Gift (Mariner Books, 2013), p.87.
  2. ↑ "Player Profile - Dale Berra".
  3. ↑ "San Diego Padres 1, Pittsburgh Pirates 0". Baseball-Reference.com. August 22, 1977.
  4. ↑ "Pittsburgh Sports Report - Son of a Legend: Where Are They Now by Doug Kennedy".
  5. ↑ "Dale Berra". baseballbiography.com.
  6. ↑ "Dale Berra says playing for his father on the Yankees is like 'a dream come true'". Christian Science Monitor. April 22, 1985.
  7. ↑ "Bizarre play dooms Yankees", Associated Press, August 3, 1985
  8. ↑ "Dale Berra Tells of Drug Use". Gainesville Sun. September 10, 1985.
  9. ↑ "Sport: The Cocaine Agonies Continue". Time . September 23, 1985. Archived from the original on March 7, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Player Profile - Dale Berra".
  11. ↑ via Associated Press. "Dale Berra Is Indicted", The New York Times , August 25, 1989. Accessed January 7, 2018. "Berra of Glen Ridge, N.J. was arrested April 20 after a six-month investigation into a drug operation that allegedly distributed $15,000 to $20,000 worth of cocaine each week in Essex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset and Union counties."
  12. ↑ Chass, Murray (June 18, 1995). "Baseball: Notebook; For Strawberry, a Pocket Guide on the Wayward Souls of the Stadium". The New York Times. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Like father, like some sons". The Spokesman-Review . July 5, 1990.
  14. ↑ Pittsburgh Sports Report – Son of a Legend: Where Are They Now by Doug Kennedy
  15. ↑ "Laurence Berra". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Tim Berra". Pro-Football-reference.com.
Dale Berra
Dale Berra Pirates.jpg
Berra with the Pirates in 1984
Shortstop / Third baseman
Born: (1956-12-13) December 13, 1956 (age 66)
Ridgewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 22, 1977, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
October 4, 1987, for the Houston Astros
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