Baseball Voices Some Thoughts About Baseball

The “Voices of Baseball,” an Atheneum paperback compiled by Bob Chieger, is a collection of quotes on the national pastime from Babe Ruth to Reggie Jackson. Some excerpts: Bill (Spaceman) Lee, Montreal Expos pitcher, on his banana diet: “Did you ever see a monkey with a cramp?”

Rocky Bridges, Cincinnati Reds infielder, on his new diet: “You mix two jiggers of Scotch to one jigger of Metrecal. So far I’ve lost five pounds and my driver’s license.”

Bob Uecker, catcher, on the difference between the two leagues: “The American League has more smut magazines in its clubhouses.”

Bennett Tramer, author, on Cleveland in 1979: “In 25 years, the two most exciting moments have been Tito Francona’s TV commercials for Central National Bank and Valmy Thomas’ groin injury.”

Casey Stengel, New York Yankees manager: “About this autograph business. Once, someone in Washington sent this picture up to me and I wrote, ‘Do good in school.’ I look up, this guy is 78 years old.”

Yogi Berra of the Yankees, asked about his slump: “Slump? I ain’t in no slump. I just ain’t hitting.”

Dizzy Dean, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher, on New York Giants first baseman and manager Bill Terry: “Could be that he’s a nice guy when you get to know him, but why bother?”

Ron Luciano, announcer and former umpire, on Kansas City Royals Manager Jim Frey: “If it’s true you learn by your mistakes, Jim Frey will be the best manager ever.”

Al Ackerman, Detroit sportscaster, on Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson: “Sparky came here two years ago promising to build a team in his own image, and now the club is looking for small, white-haired infielders with .212 batting averages.”

Darrell Johnson, Seattle Mariners manager, on when to change pitchers: “You listen to the ball and bat coming together. They make an awful noise.”

Fred Talbot, Seattle Pilots pitcher, on flying: “All the time it’s fasten your goddamn seat belt. But how come every time I read about one of those plane crashes, there’s 180 people on board and all 180 die? Didn’t any of them have their seat belt fastened?”

Fresco Thompson, Dodger vice president, on Frank Howard: “One of these days Howard will unleash a line drive at the opposing pitcher and the only mark left on the mound is going to be a laundry mark.”

Catfish Hunter, Yankee pitcher, on teammate Reggie Jackson: “He’d give you the shirt off his back. Of course, he’d call a press conference to announce it.”

Billy Martin, Yankee manager, on Jackson’s fielding: “It’s not that Reggie is a bad outfielder. He just has trouble judging the ball and picking it up.”

Bob Swift, Tiger catcher, advising pitcher Bob Cain on how to deal with midget Eddie Gaedel of the St. Louis Browns: “Pitch him low.”