Fans serenade Yogi on 87th birthday

Yogi Berra had his personal driver, Ron Guidry, navigate him around the dirt path surrounding the field at Yankee Stadium in a golf cart before Saturday’s game, and in each section fans stood and applauded the Hall of Fame catcher in helping him celebrate his 87th birthday.

Yogi was in good spirits and appeared to enjoy the attention. In a brief ceremony behind the plate, Yankees general partner Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal and captain Derek Jeter presented Yogi with a birthday cake that had the number 87 embossed over a pinstriped baseball in the center as public address announcer Paul Olden led the fans in a rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

Yogi and Guidry retreated to a Stadium suite where they watched the Yankees’ game against the Mariners. They are the subject of a current book entitled “Driving Mr. Yogi,” written by New York Times sports columnist Harvey Araton, who was in the press box Saturday, about the relationship they have developed over the years traveling together to and from Yankees spring training camp in Tampa, Fla.