“I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.”

—  Sandy Koufax

As quote in "Quote... : Father knows best; Soviet hindsight; Life in the NBA: Koufax strategy," The Christian Science Monitor (June 24, 1976), p. 11

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 9, 2022. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it." by Sandy Koufax?
Sandy Koufax photo
Sandy Koufax 13
American baseball player 1935

Related quotes

Babe Ruth photo
Roberto Clemente photo

“I do not care about home runs. The pitch is always away from me and it is foolish to try to pull this pitch for a home run. The pitcher does not wish it so, and I don't try. I am not foolish. Only in Philadelphia I think maybe I will try for the home run, but I do not think so even in L. A. I make the hits which the pitcher cannot stop, and that is better than striking out and will drive out the pitcher, too.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

As quoted by Les Biederman—who, not coincidentally, notes both Clemente's successful suppression of "the home run urge" and his ability to "hit for distance with the best" (the former earning the "unqualified praise of George Sisler")—in The Sporting News (June 1, 1960), p. 7
Baseball-related, <big><big>1960s</big></big>, <big>1960</big>

Roberto Clemente photo
Carlos Zambrano photo

“I didn't try to hit him. I just tried to make my pitch and the ball went out of my hand.”

Carlos Zambrano (1981) Venezuelan baseball pitcher

Gano, Rick, St. Louis 5, Chi Cubs 4 http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=240719116, Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on June 15, 2007
2004

Mickey Mantle photo
Samuel Butler photo

“I do not like having to try to make myself like things; I like things that make me like them at once and no trying at all.”

Samuel Butler (1835–1902) novelist

On Knowing what Gives us Pleasure, ii
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912), Part XIII - Unprofessional Sermons
Context: I should like to like Schumann’s music better than I do; I dare say I could make myself like it better if I tried; but I do not like having to try to make myself like things; I like things that make me like them at once and no trying at all.

Dinah Craik photo
Jack Buck photo

“Breaking ball, hit off the pitcher, TO THE THIRD BASEMAN!!! No play! Base hit! Three thousand for Lou Brock!”

Jack Buck (1924–2002) American sportscaster

Calling Brock's 3,000th career hit in 1979.
1970s

Heidi Klum photo

“I never really have any major resolutions. I do try to be a good person, to be a good mom, to be a good wife, I don't really start the year off on January 1, 'Oh, I am now going to make a big change.' I try every day when I wake up to be good to the people around me.”

Heidi Klum (1973) German model, television host, businesswoman, fashion designer, television producer, and actress

Discussing New Year's resolutions. From The Morning Call http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/zap-celeb-new-years-resolutions-2011-pics,0,7643845.photogallery, 5 January 2011

Babe Ruth photo

“I always swing at the ball with all my might. I hit or miss big”

Babe Ruth (1895–1948) American baseball player

From "'Keep Your Eye On the Ball'; No, Not Golf, It's Babe Ruth," http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1920/08/13/page/11/ by Ruth (as told to Pegler), in The Chicago Tribune (August 13, 1920), p. 11; reprinted as "How to Hit Home Runs," https://books.google.com/books?id=SAAlxi-0EZYC&pg=PA29&dq=%22I+always+swing%22+%22hit+or+miss+big%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZzNH7oM3QAhWJ4iYKHUCwC8wQ6AEIFDAA#v=onepage&q=%22I%20always%20swing%22%20%22hit%20or%20miss%20big%22&f=false in Playing the Game: My Early Years in Baseball, p. 29
Context: I always swing at the ball with all my might. I hit or miss big and when I miss I know it long before the umpire calls a strike on me, for every muscle in my back, shoulders and arms is groaning, "You missed it." And be­lieve me, it is no fun to miss a ball that hard. Once I put myself out of the game for a few days by a miss like that.

Related topics