“Once upon a time I never believed I could get tired of baseball. I played baseball from morning to night. But today it isn't as it once was. I just never seem to get enough rest. And if I can't play at my best all the time, why play?”

As quoted in "Clemente: Happy 33, With 3 Years to Go" https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83638719/the-pittsburgh-press/ by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (August 17, 1967), p. 39
Baseball-related, <big><big>1960s</big></big>

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Roberto Clemente 170
Puerto Rican baseball player 1934–1972

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“I want play but back hurt. If I no can play good, I no help team. So I wait until pain goes away. I no swing bat good, no run good, no catch ball like old times. I try but pain, she too much. Some days, no pain. Other days, pain all time. Some days pain so much I theenk maybe I quit baseball. But I need money so I play baseball.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

As quoted and paraphrased in "Aching Back Puts Clemente On Bench Again" https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nUEqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BU4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7330%2C2562781 by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (Friday, July 26, 1957), p. 20
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Context: "I want play but back hurt. If I no can play good, I no help team. So I wait until pain goes away. I no swing bat good, no run good, no catch ball like old times. I try but pain, she too much. Some days, no pain. Other days, pain all time. Some days pain so much I theenk maybe I quit baseball. But I need money so I play baseball." Clemente doesn't even want to think of an operation on his back. He says he had two brothers and a sister who died following surgery and his family opposes operations.

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“When I was a little kid, I wanted to be a baseball player. This is something I think about. The more I think about it, I'm convinced that God wanted me to play baseball.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

From A Conversation with Clemente, hosted by Sam Nover (aired October 8, 1972 on WIIC-TV in Pittsburgh); reproduced in Roberto Clemente: A Video Tribute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnyDAZl7lpk&list=PLPPJ9g3R1ziv1H23L0rQAu_-9c7cL2qzZ#t=56 (1973)
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