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"Baseball isn't just the stats. As much as anything else, baseball is the style of Willie Mays, or the determination of Hank Aaron, or the endurance of a Mickey Mantle, the discipline of Carl Yastrzemski, the drive of Eddie Mathews, the reliability of a (Al) Kaline
or a (Joe) Morgan, the grace of a (Joe) DiMaggio, the kindness of a Harmon Killebrew, and the class of Stan Musial, the courage of a Jackie Robinson, or the heroism of Lou Gehrig. My hope for the game is that these qualities will never be lost."
"Baseball should always be played on grass. First, grass is better to look at. Secondly, grass is kinder to the players' legs. Finally, a triple on grass is more legitimate than one on artificial turf."
"Big Texas (Nolan Ryan) is here. The reason I like to keep Nolan
around is he is a reminder that when we got done with the Sammy Sosa
trade, there was still some talent on the Rangers."
"From baseball I developed a thick skin against criticism. I learned to overlook minor setbacks and focus on the long haul."
"I don't know how I fell in love with baseball, I just loved to play it. Everyone who loves baseball can remember the first time he saw the inside of a real major league park with real big-league players. It stays with you forever - the greenness of the grass, the sight of major leaguers in uniform, the sound of a big-league swing meeting a big-league pitch."
"I never dreamed about being President, I wanted to be Willie Mays."
"I think the players that are worth paying to watch are those who play hard, hustle and are respectful to the fans."
"It's such a wonderful sport. There aren't any time limits, which means you can go and enjoy yourself. It's a great place to go and relax. It's a wonderful place to visit with somebody you love. It's an important part of our history." (April 5, 2004)
"I've had the fortune of being a part of baseball and have never been so impressed by a club that came together and played like the (2003) Marlins. It speaks a lot about the ownership, the manager, the support personnel and the players."
"None of my committee members are up for trade. Our (presidential) team is clicking on all cylinders, and I know how trades can turn out. I'm the one who traded Sammy Sosa
to the Chicago White Sox!"
"One of the great things about living here (in the White House) is that you don't have to sign up for a baseball fantasy camp to meet your heroes. It turns out, they come here."
"The Donald Rumsfeld of baseball. He's (Jack McKeon of the 2003 Florida Marlins) kinda crusty, but knows what he's doing."
"The fact that foreign-born players play in our Major Leagues is positive. Any time that you can add new blood and competition to the game, it makes it better, and it also helps our society understand people with different cultures."
"The most exciting way for a World Series game to end would be with a great throw from the outfield to nail a runner at home. The play would require three players (the outfielder, an infielder and the catcher) to make a good play."
"The most important qualities for a (baseball) manager are to plan for the season and foster a team spirit that encourages hard work and the desire to win. A good president must set clear goals, recruit the best, build a spirit of teamwork, and be willing to share credit and take the blame."
"They won when a lot of people said they weren't supposed to win. I remember when my friend, Pudge Rodriguez, stood up to the world and said, '2003 is going to be the year of the Marlin' and a lot of people said, 'I'm not so sure he knows what he's talking about.' Turns out he did know what he was talking about."
"Yogi's (Berra)
been an inspiration to me. Not only because of his baseball skills, of course, but because of the enduring mark he left on the English language. Some of the press corps here even think you are my speech writer."
** President's Statement on the passing of Ted Williams **
"With the passing of Ted Williams, America lost a baseball legend. Whether serving the country in the Armed Forces or excelling on the baseball diamond, Ted Williams
demonstrated unique talent and love of country.
He inspired young ballplayers across the Nation for decades, and we will always remember his persistence on the field and his courage off the field. Ted
gave baseball some of its best seasons-and he gave his own best seasons to his country.
He will be greatly missed."
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