In search of the best baseball quotes to inspire and motivate you? Gain insight on what it means to strive, to push yourself, and win with these 75 baseball sayings and player quotes from America’s pastime.
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Baseball is the oldest of the classic Big Four American sports and has produced many epic moments throughout its history. Epic moments driven by rousing words from inspirational men and women and defined by those that heard them. In this article, we will look at some of the most iconic and motivational baseball quotes that can be called upon during those tough times life throws our way.
Baseball is the quintessential picture of American life. Moreso than football, basketball, or anything else you could name. It has endured the test of time, and it has adapted as society has grown and changed. Yet, at its heart, baseball remains one of the most definitive American pastimes. At its roots, baseball is just a game. However, in truth, it is something that runs much deeper. It is in itself motivation in real form. It’s passion, dedication, and sacrifice. The embodiment of all that is, was, and could one day be. The thrill of the chase, the highs of victory, and the shared despair of defeat. It’s really no wonder there are so many great baseball quotes out there.
If we could just take your attention for a few minutes, we will run through some of the most motivational baseball quotes that have ever been uttered. To make it even easier for you, we’ve broken them down into handy sections. Whether you want baseball quotes for rainy days, inspirational baseball quotes for kids, or just some fun quotes to throw around in general conversation; we have you covered.
The Most Inspirational Baseball Quotes Ever Heard
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Sometimes, when the chips are down, all it takes is a few words spoken with the right intent to turn things around. Even the darkest of times can be illuminated with a short phrase or quip designed to motive and inspire. The following baseball quotes are there to do just that. They may not all be the raging drill instructor demanding you push yourself harder and harder, but they all have the same intent behind them—perseverance and belief in your own abilities.
“A winner is somebody who goes out there every day and exhausts himself trying to get something accomplished.”
– Joe Torre
These words have been spoken by some of the greatest players to ever take to the field. Likewise, these baseball quotes are some of the finest ever uttered, and hopefully, they will provide you with the push needed to help overcome whatever obstacle stands in your way.
12 Inspirational Baseball Quotes:
- “That’s the beautiful thing about baseball. You can be any size and be successful.” – Andrew Benintendi.
- “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” – Jackie Robinson.
- “You may not think you’re going to make it. You may want to quit. But if you keep your eye on the ball, you can accomplish anything.” – Hank Aaron.
- “Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday’s success or put its failures behind and start over again. That’s the way life is, with a new game every day, and that’s the way baseball is.” – Bob Feller.
- “Nobody wanted me. Scouts told me to go to school, to forget baseball. Coaches said, ‘You’re never going to make it.’ I appreciated their honesty because I think when someone tells you something you may not like, you have to use that as fuel for motivation.” – Mike Piazza
- “Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical.” – Yogi Berra.
- “You can’t be afraid to make errors! You can’t be afraid to be naked before the crowd, because no one can ever master the game of baseball, or conquer it.” – Lou Brock.
- “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.” – Hank Aaron.
- “Never allow the circumstances of your life to become an excuse. People will allow you to do it. But I believe we have a personal obligation to make the most of the abilities we have.” – Jim Abbott.
- “I want people to expect more from me because I expect more. If you don’t set goals high, you’re not trying.” – Todd Helton.
- “To succeed in baseball, as in life, you must make adjustments.” – Ken Griffey Jr.
- “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.” – Hank Aaron.
The Best Baseball Quotes for Kids
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As adults, we often turn to motivational baseball quotes because we are in a rut or struggling with something and need a lift. We are in search of a boost to help us turn things around. However, baseball quotes are also great for kids. Those who do not know about the struggle of adulthood but can nonetheless benefit from rousing words designed to steel conviction and teach the value of solid work ethic and dedication to the dream.
“Baseball gives a growing boy self-poise and self-reliance. Baseball is a man maker.”
— Albert Goodwill Spalding
All of the following thirteen baseball quotes come from those who have climbed through the professional ranks, reaching the pinnacle of the sport. However, it doesn’t matter to which scenario you apply these quotes. The simple message we hope to give to our kids remains steadfast: Never give up, never surrender, and always swing with everything you’ve got.
13 Kids Baseball Quotes:
- “Play this game like the 8-year-old you used to be, dreaming to play in the show. Heart, passion, and fire! Remember where you came from.” – Bryce Harper.
- “My motto was always to keep swinging.” – Hank Aaron.
- “A team is where a boy can prove his courage on his own. A gang is where a coward goes to hide.” – Mickey Mantle.
- “There may be people that have more talent than you, but there is no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” – Derek Jeter.
- “Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson.
- “Everybody makes mistakes; that’s why they put erasers on pencils.” – Tommy Lasorda.
- “Hustle is just playing the game right.” – Jimmy Rollin.
- “Never give up. Don’t cave.” – Jim “The Rookie” Morris.
- “Work hard and have patience.” – Randy Johnson.
- “You either get better, or you get worse. Those are the only two options.” – Max Scherzer.
- “Don’t ever let the pressure exceed the pleasure.” – Joe Maddon.
- “Baseball is not a sport you can achieve individually.” – Curt Schilling.
- “No one has come up with a substitute for hard work.” – Ted Williams.
Motivational Baseball Quotes About Life
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Life is not all sunshine and rainbows … that’s the start of a great quote, but it’s not about baseball. However, the sentiments behind the words ring true. Life isn’t always easy, and we should never expect it to be so. However, if you read through these baseball quotes about life, you will soon learn that when the times are hard, quitting just isn’t an option. It is exactly when the going is rough that you need to knuckle down, crowd the plate, and swing as if you’re trying to knock the stitching loose.
“Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand.”
– Leo Durocher
It is in hard times that the winner’s mentality is born. The following twelve baseball quotes are designed to show you the power of your own self and belief in not just who you are, but who and where you want to be.
12 Motivational Baseball Quotes:
- “Baseball is such a tough game. It really humbles you at times; you just have to try not to get too high or too low.” – Chase Utley.
- “I was told I would never make it because I’m too short. Well, I’m still too short, but I’ve got 10 All-Star games, two World Series championships, and I’m a very happy and contented guy. It doesn’t matter what your height is; it’s what’s in your heart.” – Kirby Puckett.
- “Never allow the circumstances of your life to become an excuse. People will allow you to do it. But I believe we have a personal obligation to make the most of the abilities we have.” – Jim Abbott.
- “Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.” – Yogi Berra.
- “You don’t need to have a perfect ending to be happy.” – Prince Fielder.
- “Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but how we react to what happens, not by what life brings us but the attitude we bring to life.” – Wade Boggs.
- “Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson.
- “Load up your mind with pictures capturing your preferred tomorrow. Put the remembrances of the past in a place where they won’t block your view.” – Gary Carter.
- “When you’ve learned to believe in yourself, there’s no telling how good a player you can be. That’s because you have the mental edge.” – Rod Karew.
- “If you expect greatness, greatness shouldn’t surprise you.” – Justin Verlander.
- “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” – Jackie Robinson.
- “Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball.” – Jacques Barzun.
Out the Mouth of the Babe: Baseball Quotes from Babe Ruth
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If there is one name that is synonymous with baseball, it is Babe Ruth. He was a man whose name transcended baseball. His rise to superstardom was not an overnight success. It was through determination and hard work that his legacy was earned. This steel-headed determination is evident in these epic baseball quotes. It was his words, as well as his actions that caught the hearts and minds of a world that was at its lowest. Babe Ruth was there through the first world war, the Spanish flu pandemic, and then the Great Depression. These were hard times. However, Ruth’s determination always shone through.
“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”
– Babe Ruth
The following ten motivational baseball quotes spoke to a generation, and now, with times hard for us all, they will speak to another.
10 Babe Ruth Quotes:
- “Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.”
- “Don’t be afraid to take advice. There’s always something new to learn.”
- “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”
- “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.”
- “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
- “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”
- “How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball… The harder you grip the bat, the more you can swing it through the ball, and the farther the ball will go. I swing big, with everything I’ve got–I hit big, or I miss big–I like to live as big as I can.”
- “Who is richer? The man who is seen, but cannot see? Or the man who is not being seen, but can see?”
- “All ballplayers should quit when it starts to feel as if all the baselines run uphill.”
- “All I can tell them is pick a good one and sock it. I get back to the dugout, and they ask me what it was I hit, and I tell them I don’t know except it looked good.”
Life’s a Pitch: Baseball Quotes For Pitchers
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In any sport, there is a position that all too often takes the brunt of the criticism but does not receive the same level of praise. These famous baseball quotes all come from the mouths of pitchers. They are laced with wit, cynicism, and just the right amount of indignation, and spoken by those who could most easily be swapped in the allegory of quotes to mimic real life. While life is a team sport in many ways, there are more than enough times when you are the pitcher. The weight of expectation is on your shoulders, and failure is not the work of a better opposition but rather a failing in your own game.
“If you don’t succeed at first, try pitching.”
– Jack Harshman
Pitchers are a thick-skinned lot, they have to be. This is apparent in the following ten baseball quotes from pitchers. Read them carefully, for there is a lot that can be learned from their words.
10 Pitcher Quotes:
- “The best pitchers have a short-term memory and a bulletproof confidence.” – Greg Maddux.
- “To a pitcher, a base hit is the perfect example of negative feedback.” – Steve Hovley.
- “I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.” – Sandy Koufax.
- “The pitcher has to find out if the hitter is timid. And if the hitter is timid, he has to remind the hitter he’s timid.” – Don Drysdale.
- “You know you’re pitching well when the batters look as bad as you do at the plate.” – Duke Snider.
- “Pitching is the art of instilling fear.” – Sandy Koufax.
- “Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Throw strikes. Home plate don’t move.” – Satchel Paige.
- “A guy that throws what he intends to throw, that’s the definition of a good pitcher.” – Sandy Koufax.
- “The only time I really try for a strikeout is when I’m in a jam. If the bases are loaded with none out, for example, then I’ll go for a strikeout. But most of the time, I try to throw to spots. I try to get them to pop up or ground out. On a strikeout, I might have to throw five or six pitches, sometimes more if there are foul-offs. That tires me. So I just try to get outs. That’s what counts – outs. You win with outs, not strikeouts.” – Sandy Koufax.
- “My pitching philosophy is simple – keep the ball way from the bat.” – Satchel Paige.
Funny Baseball Quotes to Make You Smile
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Yes, the idea behind all of our baseball quotes thus far has been to motivate and ignite the fires of passion. However, sometimes a quote is just a quote. It’s funny and motivating in its own way. Humor is an underappreciated, much-maligned way of coping with the world. Sportsmen and women have often fallen back on comedic quotes, whether to entertain or possibly even irritate. When times are tough there is often nothing better than a humorous quip to lift the mood.
“A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.”
— Earl Wilson
The following twelve funny baseball quotes are guaranteed to make you chuckle. If you can laugh in the face of adversity then nothing can ever get you down. So, read on and allow yourself the opportunity to smile, to relax, and see the joy in the world.
Funny Baseball Quotes:
- “It’s a round ball and a round bat, and you got to hit it square.” – Pete Rose.
- “Well, it took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball, and I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.” – Hank Aaron.
- “Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.” – Yogi Berra.
- “Ninety percent of this game is half mental.” – Yogi Berra.
- “Bob Gibson is the luckiest pitcher I ever saw. He always pitches when the other team doesn’t score any runs.” – Tim McCarver.
- “Beethoven can’t really be great because his picture isn’t on a bubble gum card.” – Charles Schulz.
- “The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until the ball stops rolling and then to pick it up.” – Bob Uecker.
- “The funny thing about these uniforms is that you hang them in the closet, and they get smaller and smaller.” – Curt Flood.
- “A man once told me to walk with the Lord. I’d rather walk with the bases loaded.” – Ken Singleton.
- “When you start the game, they don’t say “Work ball!” They say, “Play ball!”” – Willie Stargell.
- “I think I throw the ball as hard as anyone. The ball just doesn’t get there as fast.” – Eddie Bane.
- “I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I just blame the bat, and if it keeps up, I change bats.” – Yogi Berra.
Bottom of the Ninth with the Bases Loaded
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When reading these inspirational baseball quotes, there is one clear thing evident. A deep-seated love for the sport and for everything it embodies. This is a message that helps to make these baseball quotes even more powerful. Because when spoken with passion, the words themselves become less important than the message behind them.
So often, baseball quotes are specific to the game itself. However, if you turn baseball into an allegory for life, then you have a veritable goldmine of motivational quotes and sayings. Even words uttered in jest can be taken in a way that rouses the spirit. There are so many baseball quotes that talk about digging deep and swinging for the fences. About giving life your best shot because anything less just doesn’t cut it.
Baseball is a team game, and as in life, the best teams are the ones that work together, who are there to support each other and pick you up when you’re down. Life works in a similar way. The friends and family members you surround yourself with go a long way to defining the success you have as an individual and the legacy your life leaves behind.
So whether you are having a bad day, life’s dragged you down and holding you under, or you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and everything feels like a struggle, there will be enough baseball quotes on this list to help you turn that frown upside down.
Is there a quote we’ve missed that you feel deserves to be on the list? Perhaps there’s a particular baseball-styled saying you often find yourself using? We’d love to hear about it. Drop your favorite baseball quotes into the comments for us all to enjoy.
