I don't rate them, I just hit them.

I played with the Birmingham Black Barons. I was making 500 at 14. That was a lot of money in those days.

When I was in Birmingham I used to go to a place called Redwood Field. I used to get there for a two o'clock game. Where can you make this kind of money playing sports? It was just a pleasure to go out and enjoy myself and get paid for it.

Baseball is a game, yes. It is also a business. But what is most truly is is disguised combat. For all its gentility, its almost leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps.

When I'm not hitting, I don't hit nobody. But, when I'm hitting, I hit anybody.

I'm a very lucky guy. I had so many people help me over the years that I never had many problems. If I had a problem, I could sit down with someone and they would explain the problem to me, and the problem become like a baseball game

I didn't teach you that. Catch the ball with your glove.