It's not easy to be a martyr in the field of race relations.

I had to fight hard against loneliness, abuse, and the knowledge that any mistakes I made would be magnified because I was the only black man out there... I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect.

Pop flies, in a sense, are just a diversion for a second baseman. Grounders are his stock trade.

I do not believe that every person, in every walk of life, can succeed in spite of any handicap. That would be perfection. But I do believe that what I was able to attain came to be because we put behind us (no matter how slowly) the dogmas of the past: to discover the truth of today; and perhaps the greatness of tomorrow.

Relationships may change throughout the gift of time, memories stay the same forever in my mind.

This ain't fun. But you watch me, I'll get it done.

If I had to choose between baseball’s Hall of Fame and first class citizenship for all of my people. I would say first-class citizenship.