Satchel Paige Quotes

? | Satchel Paige

[Bob J]

"Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter."

"I don't generally like running. I believe in training by rising gently up and down from the bench."

"I never rush myself. See, they can't start the game without me."

"I use my single windup, my double windup, my triple windup, my hesitation windup, my no windup. I also use my step-n-pitch-it, my submariner, my sidearmer and my bat dodger. Man's got to do what he's got to do."

"If a man can beat you, walk him."

"It's funny what a few no-hitters do for a body."

"My feet ain't got nothing to do with my nickname, but when folks get it in their heads that a feller's got big feet, soon the feet start looking big."

"One time I snuck a ball on with me and when I went to winding up, I threw one of them balls to first and one to second. I was so smooth I picked off both runners and fanned the batter without that ump or the other team even knowing it."

"The only change is that baseball has turned Paige from a second class citizen to a second class immortal."

"There never was a man on earth who pitched as much as me. But the more I pitched, the stronger my arm would get."

"When a batter swings and I see his knees move, I can tell just what his weaknesses are then I just put the ball where I know he can't hit it."

"Ain’t no man can avoid being born average, but there ain’t no man got to be common."

"I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I would toss one that ain’t never been seen by this generation."

"Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Throw strikes. Home plate don’t move."

"They said I was the greatest pitcher they ever saw…I couldn’t understand why they couldn’t give me no justice."

"Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you."

"Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines."

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?"

"Money and women. They're two of the strongest things in the world. The things you do for a woman you wouldn't do for anything else. Same with money."

"Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching."

"You win a few, you lose a few. Some get rained out. But you got to dress for all of them."

"My pitching philosophy is simple; you gotta keep the ball off the fat part of the bat."

"I never had a job. I always played baseball."

"Mother always told me, if you tell a lie, always rehearse it. If it don't sound good to you, it won't sound good to no one else."

[Alberta's Child]

Great quotes. The "money and women" one is a classic.

[IRememberElian]

Did you know he was the highest paid baseball player in the 30's/40s? That's my favorite trivia question and economics lesson. He used a free market while the major leaguers were stuck in their reserve clause.

Satchel Paige was a great American.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

"my bat dodger", I love that pitch, too bad so few major leaguers have only a bat hitter pitch.

[Alberta's Child]

The more I read these, the more wisdom I see in them. What an interesting character he must have been.

Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines.

[wideminded]

Thanks. These are great quotes.

[cloud8]

Only a few more months till spring training :-)

[Gtown]

The Memphis museum system once hosted a tribute to the old Negro League teams, and the exhibit included a copy of the local newspaper's sports section when Paige led his barnstorming club into town to play the Memphis Red Sox. He had a no-hitter going through six innings, but had to be replaced by a relief pitcher because the catcher complained about how badly his hand was hurting!

[orlop9]

Great Stuff Bump

[cpanter]

Great stuff. So many good ones...

[Sonny M]

Did you know he was the highest paid baseball player in the 30's/40s? That's my favorite trivia question and economics lesson. He used a free market while the major leaguers were stuck in their reserve clause.

I knew that, but not to take anything away from Paige who was a great legendary pitcher, but most of the best players in the majors were serving in WW 2, so it did help him becoming among the highest paid athletes in the world at that time.