Bill Dickey

William Malcolm Dickey (June 6, 1907 – November 12, 1993) was an American professional baseball catcher and manager who spent his entire 17-season Major League career with the New York Yankees. Born in Bastrop, Louisiana, one of seven children of John and Laura Dickey, he grew up in Kensett, Arkansas, where his father worked as a brakeman for the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

Dickey played for the Yankees from 1928 through 1943. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, he returned to the club in 1946 as a player-manager, retiring as a player at the end of that season. During his playing career the Yankees reached the World Series nine times, winning eight championships, and Dickey was named to 11 All-Star Games.

He returned to the Yankees in 1949 as a coach, in which capacity he taught Yogi Berra the finer points of catching. As a coach he contributed to another six Yankee World Series titles. Dickey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954.