Ninety feet between the bases is the nearest thing to perfection that man has yet achieved.

In my later years I have sought to become simpler, straighter and purer in my handling of the language. I've had many writing heroes, writers who have influenced me. Of the ones still alive, I can think of E.B. White. I certainly admire the pure, crystal stream of his prose. When I was very young as a sportswriter I knowingly and unashamedly imitated others. I had a series of heroes who would delight me for a while and I'd imitate them--Damon Runyon, Westbrook Pegler, Joe Williams.

I think it's the real world. The people we're writing about in professional sports, they're suffering and living and dying and loving and trying to make their way through life just as the brick layers and politicians are.

Writing is easy. Just sit in front of a typewriter, open up a vein and bleed it out drop by drop.

In entertainment value, the Democratic clambake usually lays it over the Republican conclave like ice cream over parsnips.

Dying is no big deal. Living is the trick.

I like to get where the cabbage is cooking and catch the scents.