play ball

During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times.  I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times.  You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at bats a season.  That means I played seven years without ever hitting the ball.  ~Mickey Mantle, 1970

two of the men in my life are umps

I don't want to play golf.  When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it.  
~Rogers Hornsby

no, that's not chew in his cheek

my guess... sunflower seeds

A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.  ~Humphrey Bogart

a rare treat... ump a game together

father and son

Every hitter likes fastballs, just like everybody likes ice cream.  But you don't like it when someone's stuffing it into you by the gallon.  That's what it feels like when Nolan Ryan's thrown balls by you.  ~Reggie Jackson

a beautiful spring evening

When they start the game, they don't yell, "Work ball."  They say, "Play ball."  
~Willie Stargell, 1981

but, in my heart i had to ask "why"

I'm convinced that every boy, in his heart, would rather steal second base than an automobile.  ~Tom Clark

jeers, complaints, chatter

There are three things in my life which I really love:  God, my family, and baseball.  The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit.  ~Al Gallagher, 1971

but, when true ump fans show up

If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base.  ~Dave Barry

well, those boys light up

Baseball is almost the only orderly thing in a very unorderly world.  If you get three strikes, even the best lawyer in the world can't get you off.  ~Bill Veeck

yes, i'm lucky

to be related to these men

who love baseball

Ideally, the umpire should combine the integrity of a Supreme Court judge, the physical agility of an acrobat, the endurance of Job and the imperturbability of Buddha.  
~"The Villains in Blue," Time magazine, 25 August 1961

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