“I never go for home runs. I haven't tried to hit one since 1960 when I thought I had a chance to hit 20.”

— Roberto Clemente

After hitting 2 home runs off Don Drysdale—the second and deciding one coming four pitches after being decked by Drysdale, presumably in response to the first—and driving in all 4 runs in a 4-1 Pirate win, as quoted in "Clemente's Bat Dumps Bums" https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CYNPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cSQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5013%2C4959243 by Joe Carnicelli (UPI), in The Hendersonville Times-News (Monday, June 5, 1967); p. 9
Baseball-related, <big><big>1960s</big></big>, <big>1967</big>

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Roberto Clemente 170

Puerto Rican baseball player 1934–1972

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“I believe I can hit with anybody in baseball. Maybe I can’t hit with the power of a Mays or a Frank Robinson or a Hank Aaron, but I can hit. As long as I play in Forbes Field, I can’t go for home runs. Line drives, yes, but not home runs.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

As quoted in “Clouter Clemente: Popular Buc; Rifle-Armed Flyhawk Aims At Second Bat Crown” by Les Biederman, in The Sporting News (September 5, 1964)
Baseball-related, <big><big>1960s</big></big>

“I only have one superstition: I make sure to touch all the bases when I hit a home run.”

Babe Ruth (1895–1948) American baseball player

As quoted in Baseball's Greatest Quotes (1982) by Kevin Nelson; reproduced in "Morning Briefing: Babe Ruth Was Not a Superstitious Man, Except on 714 Occasions," in The Los Angeles Times (March 1, 1982), p. D2
Unsourced variants:
Just one.Whenever I hit a home run, I make certain I touch all four bases.
I have only one superstition. I touch all the bases when I hit a home run.

“I could always hit a home run, but if I try to do that all the time, maybe I not hit over.300. I am more valuable to my team hitting.330,.340, than I am swinging for home runs.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

Speaking before Game 7 of the 1971 World Series, as quoted in "Numero Uno: Roberto!" http://www.mediafire.com/view/1vobx891junlic4/.JPG (1973) by Bill Christine, p. 141
Baseball-related, <big><big>1970s</big></big>

“I don't know. I don't know. I want to be happy because I have never hit three home runs in one game. But how can I be happy when we lose?”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

As quoted in "Bob Says 'They Try': Feeble Pitching Takes Joy From Clemente's Night" https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hBFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h_0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5612%2C2872741 by Charley Feeney, in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Wednesday, May 17, 1967), p. 26
Baseball-related, <big><big>1960s</big></big>, <big>1967</big>

“They always say we need someone to hit home runs. We got some guys who can now. I don’t care for home runs. I showed ’em I could do it when I hit 23 in 1961. Home runs aren’t that important, though. Not to me, anyway.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

On his chances for a third consecutive NL batting title; as quoted and paraphrased in "Clemente Not Thinking of Batting Title" by Milton Richman, in The Cumberland Evening Times (Tuesday, March 15, 1966), p. 12
Baseball-related, <big><big>1960s</big></big>, <big>1966</big>
Context: “I never think about that before the season. Toward the end of the year I start thinking about it. Not before. I did it last year by just meeting the ball,” he said. “I didn’t swing hard at all. I think I’m going to do the same thing this year. We have two good hitters behind me now and I don’t have to swing so hard.” He means Donn Clendenon and Willie Stargell. The two hit a total of 41 homers to Clemente’s 10 last year. “They always say we need someone to hit home runs. We got some guys who can now. I don’t care for home runs. I showed ’em I could do it when I hit 23 in 1961. Home runs aren’t that important, though. Not to me, anyway.”

“To hit in, it's okay; for power, it's not. If you get a line drive in this park, you're in good shape. It's best to hit to right field in this park because of the wall." He explained that balls bounding off and around the right field wall produce more extra base hits. He also said that he doesn't try for the home run. "If I tried hard, I might hit 20 to 25 homers a year. But if you hit for a high average, you will help the ball club more.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

On hitting at Forbes Field; as quoted and paraphrased in "Clemente Unorthodox?" Well, He Gets Results"
Baseball-related, <big><big>1960s</big></big>

“The way I see it, it's a great thing to be the man who hit the most home runs, but it's a greater thing to be the man who did the most with the home runs he hit. So as long as there's a chance that maybe I can hammer out a little justice now and then, or a little opportunity here and there, I intend to do as I always have — keep swinging.”

Hank Aaron (1934) Retired American baseball player

Source: I Had a Hammer : The Hank Aaron Story (1990), Ch. 1

“It’s a dirty, damn universe, and every once in a while I get a chance to hit back at it. That’s all. If I knew in the morning when I started out that I was going to be killed that day, I’d still go—because I couldn’t die happier than to go down hitting back.”

Gordon R. Dickson book Tactics of Mistake

Source: Tactics of Mistake (1971), Chapter 22 (p. 334)

“I hit it good and thought it was going over the wall when it left my bat,”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

As quoted and paraphrased in "Clemente Shows He's Bat-Man: Hitting Mets Like Robbin' for Roberto" by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (Monday, May 2, 1966), p. 35
Baseball-related, <big><big>1960s</big></big>, <big>1966</big>
Context: "I hit it good and thought it was going over the wall when it left my bat," he observed. Clemente also said this is the fifth time he has hit a ball that was within inches of clearing the fence at the 436-foot sign—two against the Dodgers and two against the Braves.

“Last year I lose almost 20 pounds. When I go home end season I weigh only 163. I worry more 'bout bad back than I worry 'bout baseball. Now I feel goot. Ver goot. I sink I play one fitty games and I hit thee hunnert. I feel I hab goot season. Maybe fiteen home runs, nyenee RBIs, steal maybe dirty bases.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

As quoted in "The Great Outdoors: Drafted for $4,000, Clemente Becomes Bucs' Top Bargain; Now That His Back Ailment Is Cured, Outfielder Hopes He'll Hit .300 Again" https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xUEqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Dk4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7140%2C2566447 by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (Thursday, April 10, 1958), p. 28
Baseball-related, <big><big>1950s</big></big>, <big>1958</big>

“I never go for home runs. I haven't tried to hit one since 1960 when I thought I had a chance to hit 20.”

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Roberto Clemente 170

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