It’s All in How You Can Say It

In honor of the World Series, today’s Morning Briefing is dedicated to baseball, the national pastime, not counting replacement football or keeping up with Billy Martin.

Casey Stengel, the late New York Yankees manager, talking about . . . well, something: “The Red Sox changed their methods and have come in with a young and old, established ballclub that’s gonna make itself. I can’t put the White Sox as high as they put themselves, see, but I’ll say the Red Sox have done pretty good.

“Cleveland has done great, the Yankees will be the same or better and so they should strengthen themselves, and if they win, great, and let’s hope, everybody in New York, it’s the greatest city in the world. I worked for three of ‘em, they all do well and that’ll be better for New York. Thank you.”

Yogi Berra, former Yankee catcher, after showering and changing clothes during a hot spell, met a woman as he walked out of his hotel room:

“My, you look cool,” the woman said.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Berra said. “You don’t look so hot yourself.”

Jim Bouton, former pitcher, on Martin: “Lots of people look up to Billy Martin. That’s because he just knocked them down.”

Karolyn Rose, on former husband Pete: “You have to give him credit for what he’s accomplished. He never went to college and the only book he ever read was ‘The Pete Rose Story.’ ”

Jay Johnstone, former Dodger, on Steve Garvey: “Steve is the type of guy who, for laughs, does Tom Landry impressions.”

Yogi Berra, when asked by Joe DiMaggio what time it was: “You mean right now?”

Bill Veeck, the late baseball entrepreneur, when asked the first thing he would do if he were named commissioner: “Resign.”

Ty Cobb, 1920s Detroit Tigers superstar, explaining in 1960 why he thought he would hit only .300 against modern-day pitching: “I’m 73.”

Cesar Geronimo, former Houston Astro and Cincinnati Red, on being the 3,000th strikeout victim of both Nolan Ryan and Bob Gibson: “I was just in the right place at the right time.”

Lefty Gomez, Yankee Hall of Fame pitcher, about the only time in his career he broke a bat: “I ran over it backing out of the garage.”

Ralph Kiner, former Pittsburgh Pirates power hitter, on why he never choked up on the bat: “Cadillacs are down at the end of the bat.”

Dizzy Dean, former St. Louis Cardinals pitching star, on pulling into a gas station: “It puzzles me how they know what corners are good for filling stations. Just how did these fellows know there was gas and oil under there?”

Stengel on pitching: “When a fielder gets a pitcher into trouble, the pitcher has to slump himself out of a slump he isn’t in.”

Sparky Lyle, former relief pitcher, on why he preferred pitching out of the bullpen to being a starter: “Why pitch nine innings when you can get just as famous pitching two.”

Robin Roberts, former pitching star of the Philadelphia Phillies, describing his greatest All-Star Game thrill: “When Mickey Mantle bunted with the wind blowing out in Crosley Field.”

Wes Westrum, former Giant catcher, on baseball: “It’s like church. Many attend, but few understand.”