There were things that would irritate Casey, but trying too hard or getting mad at sitting on the bench weren't among them.

I never understood how someone who was dying could say he was the luckiest man in the world, but now I understand.

I've heard about you. I've heard about you, too.

You never have to wait long, or look far, to be reminded of how thin the line is between being a hero or a goat.

All the ballparks and the big crowds have a certain mystique. You feel attached, permanently wedded to the sounds that ring out, to the fans chanting your name, even when there are only four or five thousand in the stands on a Wednesday afternoon.

It was all I lived for, to play baseball.

During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times. I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times. You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at-bats a season. That means I played 7 years without ever hitting the ball.