You Can Observe A Lot By Watching: What I've Learned About Teamwork From the Yankees and Life

by Yogi Berra, Yogi Berra

The most valuable team player in sports shows you what ""teamwork"" really means

What does it take to be a real team player, especially in a society that glorifies selfishness and a corporate culture that often uses ""team player"" as a buzzword but rewards only the showboaters and prima donnas? Well, You Can Observe a Lot by Watching. In this happy and hilarious guide to teamwork, sportsmanship, and winning, Yogi Berra draws on the timeless wisdom handed down by example from ballplayers who came before him to inspire you to make the right choices and become not only a better team player--at sports, at work, and in life--but a better person.

Filled with colorful stories from his life and career, not to mention the down-to-earth wit and insight that Yogi fans love, You Can Observe a Lot by Watching shows you how to make a bad team good and a good team great.

Genres: Sports, Biography, Baseball, Humor, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra was an American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career (1946–1965) for the New York Yankees. Berra was one of only four players to be named the Most Valuable Player of the American League three times and is one of only six managers to lead both American and National League teams to the World Series. As a player, coach, or manager, Berra appeared in 21 World Series. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

Reviews

[Lani M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not familiar with baseball. I also don't understand one single fuss about Yankees. But one thing for sure, I heard of the legendary Yogi Berra. I remember back then when I look for recommended business books, someone mentioned this book. Now I can see why. Sport and business are pretty similar in a way; how you manage people, expectation, and target. How you train and discipline yourself to win the game and most importantly to get back after you lose. So interesting in my view. Moreover, I love the title, I guess it will be my theme of this year, you can observe a lot by watching.

"I think it's easy to overlook the value of patience. Especially these days when lives are busier than ever. Especially since impatience can mess things up forever."

"Success is learned, practiced, and shared with everyone."

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of essays from Yogi Berra, the great Yankee catcher and mangler of the English language. Here he comes across with pieces suitable for a management consultant doing motivational speaking. The essays stand individually and there is quite a bit of redundancy. His reminiscences about the game of baseball are interesting but there aren't as many Yogisms as I had anticipated finding.

A charming, if meandering, book about teamwork. In anecdote after anecdote about his legendary career with the Yankees, his not-so-legendary career as a manager, and his days growing up on the streets of St. Louis, Berra shows how respect and cooperation made him a success on the field and in life. Lessons include the importance of punctuality, owning one's mistakes, and a positive attitude. For better or worse, nuggets of wisdom ("Never give an opponent added motivation") are buried beneath a mountain of less-than-insightful sports ephemera (Derek Jeter is "a good leader because he always knows and does what's right").

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, educational, and full of life lessons and wisdom. Yogi is not a genius, however, he is from The Greatest Generation, which I am not from btw, and is the last of a dying breed of Americans that know what's right, and full of common sense. Page 126 says it all, when he talks about how kids should be treated in sports and life. There's nothing wrong with giving children incentives to be the best they can be at all they do, however, always remember they are kids, and learning and sports shouldn't be taken so seriously.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What’s the purpose of having kids play sports if you don’t let them play.
It shouldn’t be the end of western civilization if some less skilled 12 year old messes up in a town soccer game.”

I’m sure I’m being biased with my rating, but Yogi always has a way to put things into perspective.
He would have been a great coach to have as a mentor, his “Yogisms really make you think like for example the classic “It ain’t over till it’s over”

[Joe Corrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining sports biography. Berra was known for his colourful truisms like "It's not over till it's over" and "It's like Deja vu all over again" so the book's title capitalizes on another one of his sayings. The winner of 10 World Series and 14 League pennants over his "Hall of Fame" career, Berra has a lot to say about teams, players and managers in sport. Not a literary masterpiece but an enjoyable read for a sports fan of a certain age.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and rambling

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read full of the wisdom that only Yogi could impart. It was full of great stories and taught simple, invaluable lessons on teamwork.

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice for baseball and life. Yogi is the real deal. He is a genuinely nice man and a great baseball player.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have so much respect for Yogi Berra, was extremely self aware and stayed with the times up until his passing. His life experiences are very enjoyable to read.

[Peggy Haufle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of name dropping . Could be a self help book as it is about teamwork and how to be a good team player.

[Brent Vogel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true icon, didn’t realize just how special he was

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good info on teamwork and leadership. Told with Yogi’s style with great stories, good humor, and a lovely care about people.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim, while browsing the new releases in the library. Although, I didn't get to put as much effort into reading the book as I would have liked, I liked the book for the most part. If one knows anything about baseball, one will know Yogi Berra is one of the good ones new players aspire to be. As you read his book of his experiences, you realize why. He talks a lot about being a team player and respect, which is something that transcends the baseball world. If you need a reason to read this book, that's it.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

There weren't too many stories in this book that I had not already heard. Still, it was interesting to hear Yogi's take on them. The decisions by the ghost writer were a little annoying, at times, playing up to the "Yogiisms" that we have all heard time and again, whether Yogi actually said them or not. But it must be hard to capture the brilliance of a baseball man who might struggle to communicate that brilliance. In that way, the ghost writer did capture Yogi and his "charm."

[Don · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yogi has written a book about the essence of teamwork as he sees it, drawn from his years as a player and coach for the New York Yankees. Unfortunately, as a philosopher he makes a good catcher. This book contains too much fat and too little meat. Any cardiologist would ban it for the artery clogging cholesterol.

[Patti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected it to be a book about Yogi-isms, but it wasn't. However, since I have been a fanatic baseball fan since the age of 6, I enjoyed the book about Yogi's experiences in baseball. If you are a Yankee fan, I think you will thoroughly enjoy the book.

[Kathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't find the interminable baseball stories and name dropping interesting at all. Maybe my grandson Jon would like it.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

He repeats himself endlessly, but I got something out of his lecture on how being late shows lack of team spirit and character.

[Scott L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read. Almost a philosophical read, no matter how unintended the philosophy is. Many good ideas on leadership, disguised as a baseball book.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Mr. Berra was an amazing player and did a great job of putting into words the lessons he learned.

[Rori · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little dry and repetitive, but great info about past players. Good advice for parents of with young child playing sports...let them play.

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Yogi's books. They are easy to read and carry a lot of his personality.