Willie Mays Quotes

They throw the ball, I hit it. They hit the ball, I catch it.

It isn't hard to be good from time to time in sports. What is tough, is being good every day.

I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw.

What you are thinking, what shape your mind is in, is what makes the biggest difference of all.

In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated.

Baseball is a game, yes. It is also a business. But what is most truly is is disguised combat. For all its gentility, its almost leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps.

Never assume the other guy will never do something you would never do.

Every time I look at my pocketbook, I see Jackie Robinson.

Youngsters of Little League can survive undercoaching a lot better than overcoaching.

When I'm not hitting, I don't hit nobody. But, when I'm hitting, I hit anybody.

I was very fortunate to play sports. All the anger in me went out. I had to do what I had to do. If you stay angry all the time, then you really don't have a good life.

What's tough is being good every day.

Baseball is a game, yes. It is also a business.

I'm not the type of guy to go out and just say, 'Hey, I'm raising my fist to do this and do that.' I don't think I'm that type of guy. I wasn't a leader the way other people may have wanted me to be.

If you can do that - if you run, hit, run the bases, hit with power, field, throw and do all other things that are part of the game - then you're a good ballplayer.

When I got to professional ball I used to play 150 games every year. It depends on how many games there was.

Maybe I was born to play ball. Maybe I truly was.

I don't rate them, I just hit them.

Congratulations to Alex Rodriguez on his 660th home run, milestones in baseball are meant to be broken and I wish him continued success throughout his career.

Defense to me is the key to playing baseball.

I played with the Birmingham Black Barons. I was making 500 at 14. That was a lot of money in those days.

At ten I was playing against 18-year-old guys. At 15 I was playing professional ball with the Birmingham Black Barons, so I really came very quickly in all sports.

I don't mean to be bashful, but I was

I think I was programmed to do good things when I came into the majors. I knew how to play.

I was very blessed with a good body. Never got hurt. Never was in the hospital. The only time I was in the hospital was when I would get exhausted a little bit, and go in for a check-up or something.

I would try and help everybody, because the game was so easy for me. It was just like walking in the park.

I don't compare 'em, I just catch 'em.

Yes, I had to learn how to live life outside, but I had so many people help me.

I didn't teach you that. Catch the ball with your glove.

It isn't hard to be good from time to time in sports. What's tough is being good every day.