25 Willie Mays Quotes From the Hall of Fame Baseball Player

If you’re a baseball fan, you will love these Willie Mays quotes from one of the most entertaining and talented players of all time.

Willie Mays was born in Westfield, Alabama, in 1931 and learned to play baseball from his father, Cat, who played on the baseball team for the local iron plant.

Mays started playing professionally in the Negro minor league with the team, The Chattanooga Choo-Choos, while he was still in high school.

He was then drafted by the New York Giants, and after spending part of two seasons in the minor leagues, he was called up to the big leagues in 1951 and won the National League Rookie of the Year.

Mays quickly became one of the best players in the game and helped the Giants win the World Series in 1954.

He stayed as part of the Giants, even when they moved the team to San Francisco, for all but two years of his legendary career.

Take a look at these Willie Mays quotes to learn more about one of the best players in the history of baseball.

The Best Willie Mays Quotes 

Take a look at some of the best Willie Mays quotes. 

1. “I don’t compare ’em, I just catch ’em.” — Willie Mays 

2. “Defense to me is the key to playing baseball.” — Willie Mays 

3. “Baseball is a game, yes. It is also a business.” — Willie Mays 

4. “I was very blessed with a good body. Never got hurt.” — Willie Mays 

5. “The greatest challenge, I think, is adjusting to not playing baseball.” — Willie Mays

6. “When I got to professional ball, I used to play 150 games every year.” — Willie Mays 

7. “Never assume the other guy will never do something you would never do.” — Willie Mays 

8. “Yes, I had to learn how to live life outside, but I had so many people help me.” — Willie Mays 

9. “I didn’t say I was that smart. I said I went to class, and I enjoyed what I was doing.” — Willie Mays 

10. “What you are thinking, what shape your mind is in, is what makes the biggest difference of all.” — Willie Mays 

Willie Mays Quotes About His Life 

Here are some Willie Mays quotes about his life. 

11. “Every time I look at my pocketbook, I see Jackie Robinson.” — Willie Mays 

12. “I played with the Birmingham Black Barons. I was making 500 at 14.” — Willie Mays 

13. “I always enjoyed playing ball, and it didn’t matter to me whether I played with white kids or black.” — Willie Mays 

14. “When I was in Birmingham, I used to go to a place called Redwood Field. I used to get there for a two o’clock game.” — Willie Mays 

15. “I remember the last season I played. I went home after a ballgame one day, lay down on my bed, and tears came to my eyes.” — Willie Mays 

16. “I bought a 1950 Mercury. I couldn’t drive, but I had it in the parking lot there, and everybody that could drive would drive the car.” — Willie Mays 

17. “I’m not trying to brag or anything, but I had the knowledge before I became a professional baseball player to do all these things and know what each guy would hit.” — Willie Mays

More Willie Mays Quotes 

Check out more Willie Mays quotes. 

18. “I couldn’t dwell on last year’s season. I always looked forward.” — Willie Mays 

19. “I cried, I guess, because I loved baseball, and I knew I had to leave it.” — Willie Mays 

20. “I can’t tell you about moments because I wasn’t into that. I just played every day and enjoyed what I was doing.” — Willie Mays 

21. “The only time I was in the hospital was when I would get exhausted a little bit and go in for a check-up or something.” — Willie Mays 

22. “I was a baseball player, I taught baseball, and all of a sudden, I was in the business world. Now I used the baseball world to talk about their product.” — Willie Mays 

23. “At ten, I was playing against 18-year-old guys. At 15, I was playing professional ball with the Birmingham Black Barons, so I really came very quickly in all sports.” — Willie Mays 

24. “I know that when things start going wrong, for one, I get the coach to keep his eye on me to see what I’m suddenly doing wrong. I can’t see it, or I wouldn’t be doing it in the first place.” — Willie Mays 

25. “The reason for that is I had to come out of baseball and come into the business world, not being a college graduate, not being educated to come into the business world the way I should have.” — Willie Mays 

What Was Willie Mays Known For?

Mays is considered one of the top two or three players of all time.

He was one of the best defensive center fielders in history but was equally effective on offense, where he hit for power and average and was a great base stealer.

Mays was a 24-time All-Star and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.

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