Yogi Berra sat in the passenger seat of a golf cart driven by his close friend and de facto valet Ron Guidry and soaked in the applause of the Yankee Stadium crowd. It was minutes before the Yankees' game against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, and the Yankees honored Berra on his 87th birthday.

After a tribute was shown on the large video screen in center field, Guidry and Berra drove in from the outfield gate. The golf cart rode along the warning track and down the third-base line before stopping behind home plate. Berra was greeted by Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal and Derek Jeter, both of whom presented Berra with a birthday cake. The Yankee Stadium crowd then sang "Happy Birthday." The fans received a commemorative Berra baseball card upon entering the ballpark.

The video presentation included information on Berra's career and his museum and learning center in Upper Montclair, N.J. It concluded with a homage to memorable Berra quotations such as "we're open till we close" and "if you come to a fork in the road, take it."

Berra, a Hall of Famer, was a 15-year All-Star and won three Most Valuable Player awards for the Yankees. He also won 10 World Series championships as a player and three as a coach.