The Most Inspirational Baseball Quotes Of All Time

"Baseball is, was, and always will be the best game in the world to me." – Babe Ruth

Written by Mark Bailey
Last updated on November 9th, 2023

Delve into the heart of America’s pastime with iconic words that have echoed through the ages; here’s a compilation of the best baseball quotes that continue to inspire fans and players alike.

Famous Baseball Quotes from Players

Some of the most famous and memorable historical quotes have come from baseball players. Here are some of our favorite baseball quotes from players across the league. Whether it’s about the game or life in general, these quotes will definitely make you think! Here are some more famous quotes from baseball players throughout the years.

Famous baseball players

“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.” – Bullet Bob Feller
“People ask me what I do in the winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” – Rogers Hornsby
“Playing baseball for a living is like having a license to steal.” – Pete Rose
“If my uniform doesn’t get dirty, I haven’t done anything in the baseball game.” – Rickey Henderson
“I’d be willing to bet you, if I was a betting man, that I have never bet on baseball.” – Pete Rose
“Fans don’t boo nobodies.” – Mr. October, Reggie Jackson
“Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer.” – Ted Williams
“When you start the game, they don’t say “Work ball!” They say, “Play ball!”” – Willie Stargell. “
“The game had done much for me, and I had done much for it.” – Jackie Robinson.
“If you’re not practicing, somebody else is, somewhere, and he’ll be ready to take your job.” – Brooks Robinson
“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
“Pitching is the art of instilling fear.” – Sandy Koufax

Babe Ruth Quotes

Babe Ruth was one of the most iconic players in baseball history. He was a powerhouse hitter and is still considered one of the greatest players to ever play the game. Although his career was full of accomplishments, Ruth was also known for his funny and witty quotes. Here are some of our favorites!

Babe Ruth

Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” – Babe Ruth
“Never allow the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” – Babe Ruth
“Baseball is, was, and always will be the best game in the world to me.” – Babe Ruth

Yogi Berra Quotes

Yogi Berra was a journalistic dream; no player in the history of the great game produced witty quotes and one-liners quite like the former New York Yankees catcher. Here are some of his very best.

Yogi Berra

“Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical.”
“Think?! How are you supposed to think and hit at the same time?”
“I’m ugly. So what? I’ve never seen anyone hit with his face.”
“Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.”
“Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.”
“It’s fun; baseball is fun.”
“If the people don’t want to come out to the ballpark, nobody’s gonna stop ’em.”
“Baseball ain’t like football. You can’t make up no trick plays.”

More quotes from famous players

Coach/Manager Baseball Quotes

It’s not only the legendary players of the game who got in on the act. Some of the most famous and inspirational baseball quotes in history have been provided by baseball coaches and managers in intense post-game press conferences.

Baseball managers

“There are three types of baseball players: those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” – Tommy Lasorda
“Baseball is like driving, it’s the one who gets home safely that counts.” – Tommy Lasorda
“Bad ballplayers make great managers, not the other way around. All I can do is help them be as good as they are.” – Earl Weaver
“A baseball manager is a necessary evil.” – George ‘Sparky’ Anderson
“I’ve come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.” – Bob Lemon
“The greatest feeling in the world is to win a major league game. The second greatest feeling is to lose a major league game.” – Chuck Tanner
“I really love the togetherness in baseball. That’s real true love.” – Billy Martin
“Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand.” – Leo Ernest Durocher
“Close doesn’t count in baseball. Close only counts in horseshoes and grenades.” – Frank Robinson
“Never save a pitcher for tomorrow. Tomorrow it may rain.” – Leo Durocher

Movie Baseball Quotes

The big screen has given us some inspirational baseball quotes from the field. While some movies featuring the game have been complete duds, some of them really hit a home run. Here are a handful of baseball quotes from Hollywood and beyond.

“How can you not be romantic about baseball?” –Moneyball
“You wanna have a catch?” –Field of Dreams
“Man, this is baseball. You gotta stop thinking, just have fun.” –The Sandlot
“All I know is when we win a game, it’s a team win. When we lose a game, it’s a team loss.” –The Bad News Bears
“There’s no crying in baseball!” –A League of Their Own
“I see great things in baseball. It’s our game, the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us all.” –Bull Durham

Baseball Quotes from Famous Fans

Arguably, some of the best baseball quotes in history have come from those who haven’t played the game but love it dearly. Here are some memorable quotes from some of the famous fans of the game, from actors and politicians to broadcasters and musicians.

“Baseball is dull only to dull minds.” – Sportscaster, Red Barber
“Hello again, everybody. It’s a bee-yoo-tiful day for baseball.” – Sportscaster, Harry Caray
“Baseball has long been a national pastime that many Americans have cherished.” – American Politician, Jim Sensenbrenner.
“The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love.” – Sportscaster, Bryant Gumbel
“Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona.” – Journalist & Author, George Will
“A hot dog at the game beats roast beef at the Ritz.” – American Actor, Humphrey Bogart
“Poets are like baseball pitchers. Both have their moments. The intervals are the tough things.” – American Poet, Robert Lee Frost
“It could be, it might be…It is, a home run!” – Sportscaster, Harry Caray
“Baseball is more than a game to me, it’s a religion.” – MLB Umpire, William ‘Bill’ Klem
“It ain’t nothin’ till I call it.” – MLB Umpire, William ‘Bill’ Klem
“As a kid, before I could play music, I remember baseball being the one thing that could always make me happy.” Country Singer, Garth Brooks
“Baseball is more than a game. It’s like life played out on a field.” – Musician, Juliana Hatfield
“Progress always involves risk. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” – Frederick B. Wilcox
“Baseball is one of the most beautiful games. It is a very zen-like game.” – American Film Director, Jim Jarmusch
“There are only two seasons: winter and baseball.” – Bill Veeck, Jr.
“Baseball is a lot like life. It’s a day-to-day existence, full of ups and downs. You make the most of your opportunities in baseball as you do in life.” – American Sportscaster, Ernie Harwell

There’s no doubt that baseball is one of America’s favorite pastimes. And with that, there are countless memorable quotes about the game. Whether it’s a player giving credit to his teammates or a coach giving advice to his players, these quotes are sure to make you laugh, think, or just appreciate the game of baseball a little bit more.

We hope you enjoyed this list of inspirational baseball quotes. Got some of your own that aren’t featured? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll add them to our list!