We blacks look for leadership in men and women of such youth and inexperience, as well as poverty of education and character, that it is no wonder that we sometimes seem rudderless.... We see basketball players and pop singers as possible role models, when nothing could be further, in most cases, from their capacities.

A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions.

Every time you win, it diminishes the fear a little bit. You never really cancel the fear of losing; you keep challenging it.

In America you're conditioned to regard everything as a contest. You have to make the Ten Best Dressed List, win this, win that. It drives me nuts sometimes. Who cares, for Christ's sake?

We must reach out our hand in friendship and dignity both to those who would befriend us and those who would be our enemy.

When we were together, I loved you deeply and you gave me so much happiness I can never repay you.

I don't care who you are, you're going to choke in certain matches. You get to a point where your legs don't move and you can't take a deep breath. You start to hit the ball about a yard wide, instead of inches.