Willie Mays

Athlete

31 Quotes

I would try and help everybody, because the game was so easy for me. It was just like walking in the park.

I would try and help everybody, because the game was so easy for me. It was just like walking in the park.

I was a baseball player, I taught baseball, and all of a sudden I was in the business world. Now I used the baseball world to talk about their product. Not too much, just enough to keep going. Just be yourself and you'll never have a problem. That's what I did.

Maybe I was born to play ball. Maybe I truly was.

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.

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.

I don't mean to be bashful, but I was.

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

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.

I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw.

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.

They throw the ball, I hit it. They hit the ball, I catch it.

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

In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Without one-hundred percent dedication, you won't be able to do this.

Defense to me is the key to playing baseball.

I don't compare 'em, I just catch 'em.

I didn't say I was that smart, I said I went to class and I enjoyed what I was doing.

I think I was programmed to do good things when I came into the majors. I knew how to play.

When I got to professional ball I used to play 150 games every year. It depends on how many games there was.

Yes, I had to learn how to live life outside, but I had so many people help me.

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