Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Damn Yankees
Page 166
and Mickey Mantle impishly informed Linz; "He said to play it louder." When Linz did so, an angry Berra slapped the harmonica out of his hands.
All was apparently forgotten when the Yankees rode a September surge to return to the World Series, but the team lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games, after which Berra was fired. Players said the incident actually solidified his managerial authority and helped him lead them to the Series.
Berra was immediately signed by the crosstown New York Mets as a coach. He also put in four cameo appearances as a catcher early in the season. His last at bat came on May 9, 1965, three days shy of his 40th birthday. Berra stayed with the Mets as a coach under Stengel, Wes Westrum, Salty Parker, and Gil Hodges for the
next seven seasons, including their 1969 World Series Championship season. He then became the team's manager in 1972, following Hodges' unexpected death in spring training.
The following season looked like a disappointment at first. Injuries plagued the Mets throughout the season. Midway through the 1973 season, the Mets were stuck in last place but in a very tight divisional race. In July, when a reporter asked Yogi if the season was over, he replied; "It ain't over 'til it's over."