I signed a very modest $3,000 bonus with the Braves in Milwaukee. And my old man didn't have that kinda money to put out.

In 1962 I was named Minor League Player of the Year. It was my second season in the bigs.

I would order a dozen bats and there were times they'd come back with handles at each end.

I had slumps that lasted into the winter.

I had a .200 lifetime batting average in the major leagues, which tied me with another sports great averaging 200 or better for a ten-year period: Don Carter, one of our top bowlers.

I think my top salary was maybe in 1966. I made $17,000 and 11 of that came from selling other players' equipment.

Before broadcasting for 50-some years, I did TV, played 10 years in the big leagues, won a world championship - and played a big part in that, too, letting the Cardinals inject me with hepatitis. Takes a big man to do that.