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SPORTS QUOTES
CHAMPIONS
If you're going to be a champion, you must be willing to pay a greater price than your opponent. Bud Wilkinson, coach
No team wins the championship holding its breath. Harvey Araton, sportswriter
There is only a half step difference between the champions and those who finish on the bottom. And much of that half step is mental. Tom Landry, Hall of Fame football coach
COMPOSURE
The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all. Lou Gehrig, Hall of Fame baseball player
Catching a flyball is a pleasure, but knowing what to do with it after you catch it is a business. Tommy Henrich, professional baseball player
CONCENTRATION
Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary. Ray Knight, professional baseball player and manager
Keep your head up and you may not have to keep it down. Joe McCarthy, baseball manager
CONFIDENCE
What you're thinking, what shape your mind is in, is what makes the biggest difference of all. Willie Mays, Hall of Fame baseball player
Show me a guy who's afraid to look bad and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time. Lou Brock, professional baseball player
HITTING
Say you get four at bats; that's twelve strikes a game. If you can't hit four hard, you're not in the right business.Mike Piazza, professional baseball player
You don't think and hit at the same time. Yogi Berra, Hall of Fame baseball player and manager
The key to hitting is to relax, concentrate- and don't hit the ball to center field. Stan Musial, Hall of Famer
A hitter's impatience is the pitcher's biggest advantage. Pete Rose, Major League player
A decent hitter can hit a good pitch three times better than a great hitter can hit a bad pitch. Ted Williams, Hall of Famer
I don't like to sound egotistical, but every time I step up to the plate with a bat in my hands, I feel sorry for the pitcher. Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Famer
If you play for 10 years in the major leagues and have 7,000 at-bats and 2,000 hits, you have had a pretty fair career, but you've gone 0-for-5,000. Reggie Jackson, Hall of Fame player (1967-1987)
You must learn to make that first time up a key time by striving to find out as much about a pitcher as possible, and you do that by making him pitch. It's simple arithmetic: You figure to face a pitcher at least three to four times in a game. The more information you log the first time up, the better your chances the next three. The more you make him pitch, the more information you get. Ted Williams
When I'm on deck, I'm just thinking about seeing the baseball, and then seeing myself hit the ball hard. Mark McGwire, major-league player (1986-2001)
The best thought process is to hit the ball back through the middle, right back at the pitcher. That way, an outside strike and the inside strike become a reaction. Mike Lieberthal, major-league player (1994-present)
I use to watch every pitch into the catcher's mitt when I didn't swing. I started doing that when I was seven or eight years old. It gives you a longer look when you're taking a pitch. You track it all the way, right to the catcher's mitt. It's good practice for making you stay on the ball longer and helping you wait longer. Wade Boggs, major-league player (1982-1999)
A pretty good rule of thumb for amateur hitters is not to swing at a breaking ball until you are forced to with two strikes. Mike Schmidt
Choking up gave me better bat control. I would slide my hands an inch or two above the knob of the bat. Many people believe that choke hitters can't generate power, but Ted Williams choked up and he has over 500 career home runs on his resume. Joe Morgan
When I was a pitcher myself, I always figured that when I had the batters swinging I had them beat. It's the waiting batter that worries a pitcher. Then you have to keep on getting the ball over the plate. That is a continual strain on a pitcher and the very thing he likes least of all. George Sisler
It's easier to hit a breaking ball than a fastball, because you get more time to look at it. Tony Gwynn
It's not a wrist roll. It's a wrist snap. If you do it correctly, it keeps the barrel through the hitting zone without changing its path and without lifting over the ball and creating topspin. Dave Gallagher major-league player and college coach
A lot of young players believe choking up isn't manly or is a sign of weak hitting. Nonsense. Choking up is a smart move that shortens and lightens the bat. Choking up makes it easier for you to guide your bat to the ball. Wade Boggs
The most important thing about finding your grip is to remove tension. Anything you can do to take tension away helps, because tension destroys a batter. Charlie Lau
Whenever I brought my arms too close to my body, I tended to upper-cut the ball. The result? Too many fly-ball outs. That habit was tough to break. The late Nellie Fox, a Hall of Famer suggested that I flap my elbows whenever I was at the plate as a reminder to keep my arms away from my torso. I was only suppose to do this for a few days, but the "chicken flap" became part of my hitting routine. It kept my elbows out and got me ready to hit. Joe Morgan
Beating out a bunt isn't just as good as a hit, it is a hit. Wade Boggs
Walks aren't a sign of weak hitting- they'r a sign of smart hitting and team hitting..... Walks minimize outs, set up or sustain rallies, and win games. A walk may not always be as good as a hit, but walks creat base runners and base runners score runs. Wade Boggs
The main reason the average bunter fails is that he refuses to give himself up. Instead of bunting just to advance the base runner, the batter bunts with the idea in mind of beating it out for a bas hit, bunting and running at the same time. Joe DiMaggio
Ninety-five percent of fly balls are certain outs. Ground balls get through the infield for hits, move the runners up, and put pressure on infielders. They are always potentially productive. More runs are knocked in with ground balls than fly balls. Mike Schmidt
MISTAKES
When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should do about it; 1) admit it; 2) learn from it; 3) don't repeat it.Paul "Bear" Bryant, professional football coach
PITCHING
Good pitching will always stop good hitting and vice-versa.Bob Veale, professional baseball player
Stand on the rubber and read the writing on the mitt. Total focus. Shut the world out.Jan Reid, sportswriter
Strikeouts are boring--besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. More democratic. Kevin Costner, actor, to his pitcher in Bull Durham
Never let the failure of your last pitch affect the success of your next one. Nolan Ryan, Hall of Fame pitcher (1966, 1968-93)
When pitchers are offensive, the batters become defensive. Ray Miller
My father once told me the harder you throw it, the less time you have to duck.
Doug Jones, major-league pitcher 1982, 1986-present)
In critical situations, I want our pitcher to go with his best pitch. Why would you want to get beat with your second-best pitch? Davey Johnson, major-league player (1965-78), manager
The most important pitch in the count for me is 1-1, because 1-2 and 2-1 are two different worlds. Greg Maddux
What's the use of doin' in three pitches what you can do in one? Grover Cleveland Alexander, Hall of Fame pitcher (1911-30)
When I get to 0-2 on a hitter, I like to get him out with the next pitch. I throw a lot of pitches as it is, I don't need to throw any extra ones. Bob Gibson
There are umpires that are pitchers' umpires and others that are hitters' umpires. What's important is that you throw to that particular umpire's strike zone- the one that is behind the plate that day. If you get frustrated with his zone, you're just going to hurt yourself. David Wells
The pitcher has to find out if the hitter is timid. And if the hitter is timid, he has to remind the hitter he's timid.Don Drysdale, Hall of Fame baseball player
Hitting is timing; Pitching is upsetting timing. Warren Spahn, Baseball Hall of Famer
Pitching is the art of instilling fear. Sandy Koufax, Baseball Hall of Famer
When the ball is over the middle of the plate, the batter is hitting it with the sweet part of the bat. When it's inside, he's hitting it with the part of the bat from the handle to the trademark. When it's outside, he's hitting it with the end of the bat. You've got to keep the ball away from the sweet part. To do that, the pitcher has to move the hitter off the plate.Don Drysdale, Hall of Famer
It helps if the hitter thinks you're a little crazy. Nolan Ryan, Hall of Famer
I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it. Sandy Koufax
If they get a hit, I'm throwing a one-hitter. If they get walk, it's my last walk. I deal with perfection to the point that is logical to conceive it. History is history. The future is perfect. Orel Hershiser
You're supposed to win when you have all your pitches going for you. You haven't become a good pitcher until you can win when you don't have anything. Sandy Koufax
Generally, low pitches are most effective because the batter sees only the top half of the ball and cannot hit it squarely. Tom Seaver
PREPARATION
Everyone wants to win on game day. Every coach and player walks on the field fired up and raring to go. But if they have not put in the time to prepare during the week, they will fall flat on their faces.Joe Gibbs, professional football coach
When you're through learning, you're through. Vernon Law, major-league pitcher (1950-51, 1954-67)
SECOND PLACE
In this country, when you finish second, no one knows your name.Frank McGuire, basketball coach
In this country, you either finish first or last, there is no second place. Buddy Werner, writer
SUCCESS
Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.Fred Shero, professional hockey coach
It's not how you start, it's how you finish. Barry Bonds, professional baseball player
If what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today. Chief Bender, ballplayer
You'll never reach second base if you keep one foot on first. Vernon Law, major-league ballplayer
The only way to make progress is to make more progress. Branch Rickey, team owner
VICTORY
I don't think we can win every game---just the next one.Lou Holtz, college and professional coach
You can learn a little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat. Christy Mathewson, major-leaguer
WINNING
In playing or managing, the game of ball is only fun for me when I'm out in front and winning. I don't give a hill of beans for the rest of the game.John J. McGaw, Hall of Fame baseball player and manager
The country is full of good coaches. What it takes to win is a bunch of interested players.Don Coryell
CHAMPIONS
If you're going to be a champion, you must be willing to pay a greater price than your opponent. Bud Wilkinson, coach
No team wins the championship holding its breath. Harvey Araton, sportswriter
There is only a half step difference between the champions and those who finish on the bottom. And much of that half step is mental. Tom Landry, Hall of Fame football coach
COMPOSURE
The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all. Lou Gehrig, Hall of Fame baseball player
Catching a flyball is a pleasure, but knowing what to do with it after you catch it is a business. Tommy Henrich, professional baseball player
CONCENTRATION
Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary. Ray Knight, professional baseball player and manager
Keep your head up and you may not have to keep it down. Joe McCarthy, baseball manager
CONFIDENCE
What you're thinking, what shape your mind is in, is what makes the biggest difference of all. Willie Mays, Hall of Fame baseball player
Show me a guy who's afraid to look bad and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time. Lou Brock, professional baseball player
HITTING
Say you get four at bats; that's twelve strikes a game. If you can't hit four hard, you're not in the right business.Mike Piazza, professional baseball player
You don't think and hit at the same time. Yogi Berra, Hall of Fame baseball player and manager
The key to hitting is to relax, concentrate- and don't hit the ball to center field. Stan Musial, Hall of Famer
A hitter's impatience is the pitcher's biggest advantage. Pete Rose, Major League player
A decent hitter can hit a good pitch three times better than a great hitter can hit a bad pitch. Ted Williams, Hall of Famer
I don't like to sound egotistical, but every time I step up to the plate with a bat in my hands, I feel sorry for the pitcher. Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Famer
If you play for 10 years in the major leagues and have 7,000 at-bats and 2,000 hits, you have had a pretty fair career, but you've gone 0-for-5,000. Reggie Jackson, Hall of Fame player (1967-1987)
You must learn to make that first time up a key time by striving to find out as much about a pitcher as possible, and you do that by making him pitch. It's simple arithmetic: You figure to face a pitcher at least three to four times in a game. The more information you log the first time up, the better your chances the next three. The more you make him pitch, the more information you get. Ted Williams
When I'm on deck, I'm just thinking about seeing the baseball, and then seeing myself hit the ball hard. Mark McGwire, major-league player (1986-2001)
The best thought process is to hit the ball back through the middle, right back at the pitcher. That way, an outside strike and the inside strike become a reaction. Mike Lieberthal, major-league player (1994-present)
I use to watch every pitch into the catcher's mitt when I didn't swing. I started doing that when I was seven or eight years old. It gives you a longer look when you're taking a pitch. You track it all the way, right to the catcher's mitt. It's good practice for making you stay on the ball longer and helping you wait longer. Wade Boggs, major-league player (1982-1999)
A pretty good rule of thumb for amateur hitters is not to swing at a breaking ball until you are forced to with two strikes. Mike Schmidt
Choking up gave me better bat control. I would slide my hands an inch or two above the knob of the bat. Many people believe that choke hitters can't generate power, but Ted Williams choked up and he has over 500 career home runs on his resume. Joe Morgan
When I was a pitcher myself, I always figured that when I had the batters swinging I had them beat. It's the waiting batter that worries a pitcher. Then you have to keep on getting the ball over the plate. That is a continual strain on a pitcher and the very thing he likes least of all. George Sisler
It's easier to hit a breaking ball than a fastball, because you get more time to look at it. Tony Gwynn
It's not a wrist roll. It's a wrist snap. If you do it correctly, it keeps the barrel through the hitting zone without changing its path and without lifting over the ball and creating topspin. Dave Gallagher major-league player and college coach
A lot of young players believe choking up isn't manly or is a sign of weak hitting. Nonsense. Choking up is a smart move that shortens and lightens the bat. Choking up makes it easier for you to guide your bat to the ball. Wade Boggs
The most important thing about finding your grip is to remove tension. Anything you can do to take tension away helps, because tension destroys a batter. Charlie Lau
Whenever I brought my arms too close to my body, I tended to upper-cut the ball. The result? Too many fly-ball outs. That habit was tough to break. The late Nellie Fox, a Hall of Famer suggested that I flap my elbows whenever I was at the plate as a reminder to keep my arms away from my torso. I was only suppose to do this for a few days, but the "chicken flap" became part of my hitting routine. It kept my elbows out and got me ready to hit. Joe Morgan
Beating out a bunt isn't just as good as a hit, it is a hit. Wade Boggs
Walks aren't a sign of weak hitting- they'r a sign of smart hitting and team hitting..... Walks minimize outs, set up or sustain rallies, and win games. A walk may not always be as good as a hit, but walks creat base runners and base runners score runs. Wade Boggs
The main reason the average bunter fails is that he refuses to give himself up. Instead of bunting just to advance the base runner, the batter bunts with the idea in mind of beating it out for a bas hit, bunting and running at the same time. Joe DiMaggio
Ninety-five percent of fly balls are certain outs. Ground balls get through the infield for hits, move the runners up, and put pressure on infielders. They are always potentially productive. More runs are knocked in with ground balls than fly balls. Mike Schmidt
MISTAKES
When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should do about it; 1) admit it; 2) learn from it; 3) don't repeat it.Paul "Bear" Bryant, professional football coach
PITCHING
Good pitching will always stop good hitting and vice-versa.Bob Veale, professional baseball player
Stand on the rubber and read the writing on the mitt. Total focus. Shut the world out.Jan Reid, sportswriter
Strikeouts are boring--besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. More democratic. Kevin Costner, actor, to his pitcher in Bull Durham
Never let the failure of your last pitch affect the success of your next one. Nolan Ryan, Hall of Fame pitcher (1966, 1968-93)
When pitchers are offensive, the batters become defensive. Ray Miller
My father once told me the harder you throw it, the less time you have to duck.
Doug Jones, major-league pitcher 1982, 1986-present)
In critical situations, I want our pitcher to go with his best pitch. Why would you want to get beat with your second-best pitch? Davey Johnson, major-league player (1965-78), manager
The most important pitch in the count for me is 1-1, because 1-2 and 2-1 are two different worlds. Greg Maddux
What's the use of doin' in three pitches what you can do in one? Grover Cleveland Alexander, Hall of Fame pitcher (1911-30)
When I get to 0-2 on a hitter, I like to get him out with the next pitch. I throw a lot of pitches as it is, I don't need to throw any extra ones. Bob Gibson
There are umpires that are pitchers' umpires and others that are hitters' umpires. What's important is that you throw to that particular umpire's strike zone- the one that is behind the plate that day. If you get frustrated with his zone, you're just going to hurt yourself. David Wells
The pitcher has to find out if the hitter is timid. And if the hitter is timid, he has to remind the hitter he's timid.Don Drysdale, Hall of Fame baseball player
Hitting is timing; Pitching is upsetting timing. Warren Spahn, Baseball Hall of Famer
Pitching is the art of instilling fear. Sandy Koufax, Baseball Hall of Famer
When the ball is over the middle of the plate, the batter is hitting it with the sweet part of the bat. When it's inside, he's hitting it with the part of the bat from the handle to the trademark. When it's outside, he's hitting it with the end of the bat. You've got to keep the ball away from the sweet part. To do that, the pitcher has to move the hitter off the plate.Don Drysdale, Hall of Famer
It helps if the hitter thinks you're a little crazy. Nolan Ryan, Hall of Famer
I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it. Sandy Koufax
If they get a hit, I'm throwing a one-hitter. If they get walk, it's my last walk. I deal with perfection to the point that is logical to conceive it. History is history. The future is perfect. Orel Hershiser
You're supposed to win when you have all your pitches going for you. You haven't become a good pitcher until you can win when you don't have anything. Sandy Koufax
Generally, low pitches are most effective because the batter sees only the top half of the ball and cannot hit it squarely. Tom Seaver
PREPARATION
Everyone wants to win on game day. Every coach and player walks on the field fired up and raring to go. But if they have not put in the time to prepare during the week, they will fall flat on their faces.Joe Gibbs, professional football coach
When you're through learning, you're through. Vernon Law, major-league pitcher (1950-51, 1954-67)
SECOND PLACE
In this country, when you finish second, no one knows your name.Frank McGuire, basketball coach
In this country, you either finish first or last, there is no second place. Buddy Werner, writer
SUCCESS
Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.Fred Shero, professional hockey coach
It's not how you start, it's how you finish. Barry Bonds, professional baseball player
If what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today. Chief Bender, ballplayer
You'll never reach second base if you keep one foot on first. Vernon Law, major-league ballplayer
The only way to make progress is to make more progress. Branch Rickey, team owner
VICTORY
I don't think we can win every game---just the next one.Lou Holtz, college and professional coach
You can learn a little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat. Christy Mathewson, major-leaguer
WINNING
In playing or managing, the game of ball is only fun for me when I'm out in front and winning. I don't give a hill of beans for the rest of the game.John J. McGaw, Hall of Fame baseball player and manager
The country is full of good coaches. What it takes to win is a bunch of interested players.Don Coryell
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