In baseball, democracy shines its clearest. The only race that matters is the race to the bag. The creed is the rule book. And color, merely something to distinguish one team's uniform from another's.

The greatest single moment Ive ever known in Detroit was Jim Northrups triple in the seventh game of the World Series in St. Louis. It was a stunning moment because not only were the Tigers winning a world championship that meant so much to an entire city, they were beating the best pitcher I ever saw-Bob Gibson.

Sparky's the only guy I know who's written more books than he's read.

Everybody in the minor leagues - if you're a player, an announcer, whatever - wants to be in the big leagues.

There's a man in Mobile who remembers that Honus Wagner hit a triple in Pittsburgh 46 years ago. That's baseball.

I've found that if you wear a beret, people think you're either a cabdriver or a producer of dirty movies.

Needless to say, I have more no-hitters than Nolan Ryan.