OK, see how many
quotes (below) it takes you before you guess who said all this.
"Anybody with ability can play
in the big leagues. But to be able to trick people year in and year out
the way I did, I think that was a much greater feat."
"If a guy hits .300 every year, what does he have to look forward to? I
always tried to stay around .190, with three or four RBI. And I tried
to get them all in September. That way I always had something to talk
about during the winter."
"In 1962 I was named Minor League Player of the Year. It was my second
season in the Bigs."
"I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for $3,000. That bothered my dad at
the time because he didn't have that kind of dough. But he eventually
scraped it up."
"People don't know this but I helped the Cardinals win the pennant. I
came down with hepatitis. The trainer injected me with it."
"The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after
you. That happened when my Bobby was in his championship Little League
game. He really showed me something. Struck out three times. Made an
error that lost the game. Parents were throwing things at our car and
swearing at us as we drove off. Gosh, I was proud."
"I had slumps that lasted into the winter."
"I led the league in 'Go get 'em next time.'"
"I set records that will never be equaled. In fact, I hope 90% of them
don't even get printed."
"Career highlights? I had two. I got an intentional walk from Sandy
Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets."
"I remember one time I'm batting against the Dodgers in Milwaukee. They
lead, 2 - 1, it's the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two out and
the pitcher has a full count on me. I look over to the Dodger dugout
and they're all in street clothes."
"When I looked at the third base coach, he turned his back on me."
"Wait until it stops rolling and pick it up." - on how to catch a
knuckleball
"I hit a grand slam off Ron Herbel and when his manager Herman Franks
came out to get him, he was bringing Herbel's suitcase."
"Sporting goods companies pay me not to endorse their products."
"Sure, women sportswriters look when they're in the clubhouse. Read
their stories. How else do you explain a capital letter in the middle
of a word?"
"I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with
no picture."
"One time, I got pulled over at 4 a.m. I was fined $75 for being
intoxicated and $400 for being with the Phillies."
"A doctor told me to drink lemon juice after a hot bath. But I have
never finished the bath."
"The highlight of my career? In '67 with St. Louis, I walked with the
bases loaded to drive in the winning run in an intersquad game in
spring training."
"Baseball hasn't forgotten me. I go to a lot of Old-Timers games and I
haven't lost a thing. I sit in the bullpen and let people throw things
at me. Just like old times."
"I didn't get a lot
of awards as a player. But they did have a Bob Uecker Day Off for me
once in Philly."
