The pitcher has got only a ball. I've got a bat. So the percentage in weapons is in my favor and I let the fellow with the ball do the fretting.
Hank AaronRead
I would like people not to think in terms of the 755 home runs I hit but think in terms of what I've accomplished off the field and some of the things I stood for.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes valuing one's overall contributions and values beyond just achievements.
Hank Aaron's quote highlights the importance of character and contributions outside of professional accolades. While he acknowledges the significance of his record-breaking home runs, he encourages people to recognize the broader impact he had in areas such as social justice, community service, and personal integrity, showcasing that true success is measured by the legacy one leaves beyond statistics.
In practice
Using this quote during a graduation speech to encourage students to focus on their contributions to society.
The pitcher has got only a ball. I've got a bat. So the percentage in weapons is in my favor and I let the fellow with the ball do the fretting.
I don't feel right unless I have a sport to play or at least a way to work up a sweat.
In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.
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.
Making the majors is not as hard as staying there, staying interested day after day. It's like being married. The hardest part is to stay married.
It took me seventeen years to get three thousand hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.
For me, I'm in the driver's seat; I'm No. 1 in the world. I've won the last couple of meetings, and I've won the big tournaments lately. Whoever comes, I'll try to beat him. But it's almost up to me to decide who's my rival, isn't it?
I was never, ever physically afraid. My terms of reference were basic and simple: put the ball in the net. That was my job, that's the way I saw it, and I allowed nothing and nobody to distract me from that purpose.
All of my fights are planned. I study my opponents from A to Z. How he walks, how he looks, how he speaks, gestures of the human body, which is a certain language that provides you lots of information if you have the ability to read it. You just need to pay attention to it and gain experience over the years.
To succeed in business it is necessary to make others see things as you see them.
I never considered my dreams wasted energy; they were invariably linked to some form of action. When I dreamed about having a lemonade stand, for example, it wasn't long before I set up a lemonade stand.
The pleasure of work is open to anyone who can develop some specialised skill, provided that he can get satisfaction from the exercise of his skill without demanding universal applause.
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