- "Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." (during his retirement ceremony on July 4, 1939.)
- When asked whether he minded playing in the shadow of the Bambino all the time: "Babe Ruth has a pretty big shadow, it gives me lots of room to spread myself."
- Shortly before his death: "You have to get knocked down to realize how people really feel about you. I've realized that more than ever lately. The other day, I was on my way to the car. It was hailing, the streets were slippery and I was having a tough time of it. I came to a corner and started to slip. But before I could fall, four people jumped out of nowhere to help me. When I thanked them, they all said they knew about my illness and had been keeping an eye on me."
- "There is no room in baseball for discrimination. It is our national pastime and a game for all." (on baseball's infamous color barrier)
- I may have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for. (Retirement speech, July 4 1939)
- The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all.
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