I thought talking to human beings was just something that could make things complicated and unpleasant. So I didn't talk much. I just watched people.
Ernie BanksRead
Baseball reveals character; golf exposes it.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that baseball shows a person's true character, while golf highlights it under pressure.
Ernie Banks' quote reflects the different ways sports can reveal an individual's character. Baseball, often seen as a team sport where cooperation and strategy are vital, brings out qualities such as teamwork and perseverance. In contrast, golf is an individual sport that requires self-discipline and composure, often exposing one's true nature when faced with challenges. Therefore, each sport can serve as a mirror, showcasing how individuals handle success, failure, and competition.
In practice
In a sportsmanship speech at an awards ceremony.
I thought talking to human beings was just something that could make things complicated and unpleasant. So I didn't talk much. I just watched people.
I hit a home run in my first game, and they told me to go into the stands and pass my cap around. I made six dollars in nickels, dimes, and quarters.
It was about 105 degrees in Chicago. And that's a time when everybody gets tired. I came into the clubhouse, and everybody was sitting around, and I said, 'Beautiful day. Let's play two!' And everybody looked at me like I was crazy. There were a couple of writers around, and they wrote that, and it stayed with me.
I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I'm in a world of my own.
Playing tennis, I didn't tie in my self-worth into winning or losing matches.
In baseball, there is something electrifying about the big leagues. I had read so much about Stan Musial, Ted Williams and Jackie Robinson. I had put those guys on a pedestal. They were something special. I really thought they put their pants on different, rather than one leg at a time.
Home plate is 17 inches wide, but I ignore the middle 12 inches. I pitch to the two-and-a-half inches on each side.
Players lose you games, not tactics. There's so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes.
The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I've always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It's been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It's a relationship that has evolved over time, given me the greatest respect and love for the game.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.