CEDAR FALLS - "It aint over 'till it's over" is a famous saying credited to Yogi Berra, one of America's beloved baseball heroes from the past who also jut happens to have one of our countries most recognizable faces.  Yogi is a past three-time Most Valuable Player and Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees and revered as a living American legend.  Berra is a true ambassador for the game of baseball, an astute business entrepreneur and author of "Yogi-isms," unique words of wit and wisdom he utters reflecting a wide plethora of topics.

Cedar Falls' own Marv Diemer knows a "Yogi-sim" when he hears one.  Marv Diemer is "persistence in motion." He is the consummate believer of "It aint over till it's over."

Marv's story begins on a cold, snowy evening in December 1999 at a "Hot Stove gathering of baseball junkies.  Diemer, the elder statesman member of "Pinstripe Faithful," a New York Yankee fan club that meets monthly in the Cedar Valley, initiated a conversation to come up with an idea to somehow honor Mickey Mantle, his lifelong sports hero.  Mantle, the golden boy Hall of Fame center fielder for the legendary Yankee teams of the 1950's and 1960's, has always been Marv's favorite player.  Mantle was a national hero to thousands of fans both during and after his playing days.  Even today Mantle is considered a true American icon.  He played 18 seasons for the Bronx Bombers beginning in 1951 during the teams' glory years.  Mantle was the unprecedented slugger of many monster home runs during these seasons.  He won the Triple Crown in 1956; he played on seven world championships and finished his career by belting 536 home runs.  Mantle compiled a .298 lifetime batting average and his 18 career World Series home runs is still a major league record.  He was the shining star of the Big Apple and a favorite of fans all across America.

Marv Diemer first met Mickey Mantle in 1992 at a Yankee fantasy camp.  This fantasy camp was a week long experience of baseball practices, games and camaraderie where die-hard Yankee aficionados perform and interact with their cardboard heroes from yesterday.  Marv enjoyed the experience so much he chose to relive the camp a second time in 1994, this time easily coaxing another "Pinstripe Faithful" member, Bill Hanson of Cedar Falls to attend with him.  These experiences only cemented the fact that Mickey Mantle is his all-time favorite Yankee.

In 1995 Mantle succumbed to a life of alcoholism, a liver transplant and a valiant fight with cancer.  A few yers later Diemer wanted to honor Mantle in some way.  Always fascinated by his work in government, Marv researched what the requirements were for an individual to be honored on a United States postage stamp.  He researched that one needed to be deceased a minimum of 10 years.  Marv also realized there needed to be enormous interest generated for an individual to be pictured on a stamp.  This was all the motivation needed to proceed with his quest to honor Mantle.  Marv began a letter writing campaign along with collecting signatures on petitions to promote Mantle nationally like past stars previously recognized on stamps.  These included Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson and Robert Clemente from the baseball world.  Diemer contacted hundreds of people by phone and letters.  These included Mantle's family, past Yankee teammates, celebrities, politicians and literally anyone who would endorse their support for the Yankee Hall of Famer. 

After nearly six years of hard, persistent work involving hours and hours of manpower and a driven dedication to acknowledge his baseball hero, Diemer finally reaped the benefits of his efforts.  It was a wintry day in early 2006 when Diemer was iniformed by U.S. Postal Service officials that Mantle would indeed have his likeness on a stamp in summer 2006.  Mantle was chosen to be included in a "Big Hitter" stamp series honoring four past superstar sluggers.  Also being honored are catcher Roy Campanella of the Brooklyn Dodgers; Detroit Tigers first baseman Hank Greenberg; and outfielder Mel Ott of the New York Giants. 

Persistency finally came to fruition for the retired state legislator from Cedar Falls.  Marv Diemer will be in attendance along with 55,000 cheering Yankee fans today, as the Mickey Mantle "Big Hitters" stamp will be unveiled by the United States Postal Service in a ceremony at Yankee Stadium.  This will be Marv's first visit to "The house that Ruth built" in the Bronx.  It will also mark a close to Diemer's many years behind his visionary dream to see one of baseball's greatest stars honored.  As Marv sits in his box seat No. 5, eight rows behind the same home plate "The Mick" hammered hundreds of legendary home runs, Diemer will proudly reflect on the coveted accomplishment at hand. 

Marv will enjoy the festivities knowing that being persistent and following the advice of a famous "Yogi-ism," Mickey Mantle is now in the stature of a select few honorees in our country.

Marv can now relax and reflect back 14 years ago when he was seated with Mickey Mantle in the fantasy camp dugout having conversation and laughs with each other.  These memories are forever enamored in his mind of that moment in time and forever pictured o his very own cardboard baseball card.  What an experience.

Marv Diemer's perisitence - Yogi style... will last a lifetime and beyond!