I'm not the type of guy to go out and just say, 'Hey, I'm raising my fist to do this and do that.' I don't think I'm that type of guy. I wasn't a leader the way other people may have wanted me to be.

I was very blessed with a good body. Never got hurt. Never was in the hospital. The only time I was in the hospital was when I would get exhausted a little bit, and go in for a check-up or something.

Defense to me is the key to playing baseball.

That's how easy baseball was for me. I'm not trying to brag or anything, but I had the knowledge before I became a professional baseball player to do all these things and know what each guy would hit.

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

Every time I look at my pocketbook, I see Jackie Robinson.

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