On October 19, 1949, I got a telephone call from the Philadelphia (A's) front office informing me I had been traded to the White Sox for Joe Tipton. I was surprised and hurt.

We really had baseball in the family. Even that little habit I've got of chewing tobacco on the ball field sort of comes from my dad.

No one had to tell me I was never going to be a home run hitter. I was hitting the same ball as the rest of the players, but when the big guys cracked one, it went out of the park. Mine went out of the infield.

(Jim) Landis is such a good player because he plays every day as if he expects to be sent to the minors next week.

You don't have to be big to be a big leaguer. Look at Phil Rizzuto. He's really small and he's been one of the greatest that ever was.

We won (the pennant) because we've got a superior ball club. Not many stars perhaps, but the kind of team that always plays well together.

On October 19, 1949, I got a telephone call from the Philadelphia (A's) front office informing me I had been traded to the White Sox for Joe Tipton. I was surprised and hurt.