A few weeks ago, we alerted you to an online White House petition seeking the Presidental Medal of Freedom for Hall of Famer Yogi Berra. The petition cited Berra's "military service and civil rights and educational activism" as the reason for the award, not his baseball exploits.
Here's the text of the petition:
Yogi Berra should be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A man of unimpeachable integrity and respect, he befriended the first black and Latino baseball players in Major League Baseball. He is currently an ambassador for Athlete Ally, which promotes LGBT rights in sports. Berra enlisted in the U. S. Navy during World War II and served during the D-Day invasion. He continues to be an avid supporter of our armed forces. Berra greatly values education. While with the Yankees, he created a scholarship at Columbia University that is still active 50 years later. His namesake Museum & Learning Center serves 20,000 students annually with character education programs and teaches the values of respect, sportsmanship and inclusion that Berra has demonstrated throughout his life and career.
The petition did receive over 100,000 signatures before the deadline, enough to generate an official response from the White House. Earlier this week, that response came. The full response is right here. Here's the important part:
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded at the President's sole discretion, and therefore our response to this petition cannot comment on whether any individual will receive the award in the future. We can, however, say that throughout his career as a Hall-of-Fame catcher for the New York Yankees and beyond, Yogi Berra has done a lot more than hit and think at the same time. He demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship and character on his way to winning 13 World Series championships as a player and manager, with each new title feeling like déjà vu all over again. He served our country in the U.S. Navy during World War II -- including the D-Day invasion, and has established himself as an advocate for civil rights, education, and inclusion of the LGBT community in sports.
He's demonstrated many of the qualities of past Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, so -- as he might say -- it ain't over 'til it's over.
So while acknowleging Berra's accomplishments, the response notes the Medal of Freedom is awarded at the discretion of President Barack Obama, so the petition can't help. All it can do is raise awareness essentially, and that's not a bad thing.
The Presidental Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor award in the United States. It is awarded by the President and recognizes "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."
Berra, 90, played 19 years in MLB after serving in World War II, including 18 with the Yankees. He won three AL MVP awards and 10 World Series rings. Hall of Famers Ernie Banks and Stan Musial are among the athletes to be awarded the Medal of Freedom.
