Bill Dickey

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Lore & Background

Dickey played with the Yankees from 1928 through 1943. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, Dickey returned to the Yankees in 1946 as a player and manager. He retired after the 1946 season, but returned in 1949 as a coach, in which capacity he taught Yogi Berra the finer points of catching. During Dickey's playing career, the Yankees went to the World Series nine times, winning eight championships. He was named to 11 All-Star Games. He went on to briefly manage the Yankees as a player-manager, then contribute to another six Yankee World Series titles as a coach. Dickey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954.

In Their Own Story

In 1949, Dickey returned to the Yankees as a coach, in which capacity he taught Yogi Berra the finer points of catching. Already a good hitter, Berra became an excellent defensive catcher under Dickey's instruction. Dickey later instructed Elston Howard on catching when Berra moved to the outfield. Dickey also appeared as himself in the film The Pride of the Yankees in 1942, and in The Stratton Story in 1949. In the latter, Dickey objected to taking a called third strike, stating 'I never took a third strike. I always swung.' After many takes, he commented: 'I've struck out more times this morning than I did throughout my entire baseball career.'

Reader's Guide

Dickey's last full season as a player was 1943, not 1941; he played from 1928 through 1943, then served in the Navy during World War II, and returned only as a player-manager in 1946. He was named to 11 All-Star Games, not 8.

Did You Know?

• Dickey hit three home runs against the St. Louis Browns on July 26, 1939.
• Dickey served in the United States Navy during World War II, from March 15, 1944, to January 1946.
• Dickey appeared as himself in the 1942 film The Pride of the Yankees.