Baseball's Greatest Quotations: An Illustrated Treasury of Baseball Quotations and Historical Lore by Paul Dickson

From the Publisher

Baseball has always had its share of colorful characters, and over the years they have expressed themselves in eminently quotable ways. In this treasury of more than 5,000 quotations, noted baseball writer and observer Paul Dickson has captured the flavor of the game, in the words of its most important participants and onlookers.

They are all here—from Aaron (Estella, Hank's mother) to Zoldack ("Sad Sack" Sam), and everyone in between. From the players, sportswriters, and politicians, to noted personalities in other fields (a very diverse group), everyone has his or her say on our nation's pastime. Dickson skillfully selects and annotates each remark, presenting the good, the bad, and the ugly of baseball lore. Included are extended lessons in Stengelese, Reggiespeak, Earl Weaverisms, and famous announcers' home run calls (who can forget Mel Allen's classic "Going, going, gone!"?).

These and thousands of other cheerful, pithy, and memorable voices from the past through the present day are all captured in Baseball's Greatest Quotations.

Booknews

A compilation of some 5,000 quotations organized alphabetically by speaker/author, and including not only the usual suspects (Stengel, Berra, Barber, Dean, et al.) but such outside observers as Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, G.B. Shaw, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and even Jane Austen. With some 200 b&w photographs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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Chapter One

A

Aaron, Estella

"My boy has a chance to do it. He takes care of himself and nothing comes in front of baseball for Henry. Nothing. On days when he is feeling good, it's just too bad for the pitchers."

—On her son Hank and the home run record; quoted in Hank Aaron . . . 714 and Beyond by Jerry Brondfield

Aaron, Hank

"Babe Ruth never had to contend with anything like that when he was establishing his record."

—On the threats by racists vexed by his closing in on Babe Ruth's record; quoted by Fred Lieb in Baseball as I Have Known It. Lieb added: "Hank Aaron was wrong in thinking that Ruth had no race problem. Many players, including fellow members of his old Red Sox team, thought that Ruth was part Negro. When he was pitching and batting, nothing would enrage him more than to have some coach or rookie, hiding in the obscurity of the bench, yell nigger at him.

"Can I smoke now without someone taking my picture?"

—To the press after one of his milestone home runs

"Guessing what the pitcher is going to throw is 80 per cent of being a successful hitter. The other 20 percent is just execution."

—On hitting in Hank Aaron . . . 714 and Beyond by Jerry Brondfield

"I can't recall a day this year or last when I did not hear the name of Babe Ruth."

—As he movedtoward Ruth's record of 714 home runs; quoted in Babe: The Legend Comes to Life by Robert W. Creamer

"I don't see pitches down the middle anymore—not even in batting practice."

—During the 1973 season; quoted widely

"I don't want them to forget Ruth. I just want them to remember me!"

—Widely quoted during the latter days of his home run drive, first stated by Aaron late in the 1973 season