Quote

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.

Willie Mays

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Willie Mays
Age: 93
Born: 1931
Born: May 6
Baseball Player
Jefferson County
Alabama
Willie Howard Mays Jr.
Willie Howard Mays
The Say Hey Kid
Also
Pace
Baseball
Truly
Game
Leisurely
Violence
Gentility
Almost
Disguised
Games
Wraps
Business
Combat

More quotes by Willie Mays

Image
If you can do that - if you run, hit, run the bases, hit with power, field, throw and do all other things that are part of the game - then you're a good ballplayer.
Willie Mays
Image
In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated.
Willie Mays
Image
What's tough is being good every day.
Willie Mays
Image
I don't know what Joe (DiMaggio) wanted (in regards to being called 'the greatest living ballplayer'), but I don't have a problem, if he wanted to do that. He was my hero. Joe was the best all-around player. Joe was the best. I only played against him once, in the '51 Series.
Willie Mays
Image
I played with the Birmingham Black Barons. I was making 500 at 14. That was a lot of money in those days.
Willie Mays
Image
In 1950, when the Giants signed me, they gave me $15,000. I bought a 1950 Mercury. I couldn't drive, but I had it in the parking lot there, and everybody that could drive would drive the car. So it was like a community thing
Willie Mays
Image
The catch off Bobby Morgan (a backhanded grab of the Brooklyn Dodger's line drive in September 1951 at Ebbets Field) in Brooklyn was the best catch I ever made. Jackie Robinson and (Giants manager) Leo Durocher were the first people I saw when I opened my eyes
Willie Mays
Image
Never assume the other guy will never do something you would never do.
Willie Mays
Image
Yes, I had to learn how to live life outside, but I had so many people help me.
Willie Mays
Image
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.
Willie Mays
Image
I don't compare 'em, I just catch 'em.
Willie Mays
Image
Every time I look at my pocketbook, I see Jackie Robinson.
Willie Mays
Image
I don't mean to be bashful, but I was
Willie Mays
Image
The greatest challenge I think is adjusting to not playing baseball. The reason for that is I had to come out of baseball and come into the business world, not being a college graduate, not being educated to come into the business world the way I should have.
Willie Mays
Image
They throw the ball, I hit it. They hit the ball, I catch it.
Willie Mays
Image
At ten I was playing against 18-year-old guys. At 15 I was playing professional ball with the Birmingham Black Barons, so I really came very quickly in all sports.
Willie Mays
Image
Baseball is a game, yes. It is also a business.
Willie Mays
Image
And my father didn't have money for me to go to college. And at that particular time they didn't have black quarterbacks, and I don't think I could have made it in basketball, because I was only 5′ 11. So I just picked baseball.
Willie Mays
Image
Youngsters of Little League can survive undercoaching a lot better than overcoaching.
Willie Mays
Image
I would try and help everybody, because the game was so easy for me. It was just like walking in the park.
Willie Mays