Hitter Quotes - page 4

It seems from this corner that the Pirates are fortunate they have Clemente on their side. And just think he almost got away. The Yankees used Roger Maris as bait after the 1962 season. Maris, baseball's record home run hitter for one season, would have seemed a good catch. If Bucs' GM Joe Brown had gone by RBI statistics after the '62 season he would have jumped at a Maris-for-Clemente swap. Maris had knocked in 100-26 more than Clemente drove home. Shudder for a moment, Pirate fans, and just imagine where this year's Buccos would be in the standings if they had Maris instead of Clemente. (Roberto Clemente)
Sam, who had it all-a crackling curve and a fastball with a tail on it-had a two hitter going into the seventh. Then Clemente tied into a fastball and belted it into what is almost considered never never land. [...] Clemente clobbered it through the wind and beyond the 397-foot marker in left-center. [...] Only the fourth ball hit over the left field fence, it put Clemente back into a tie with McCovey for the RBI leadership. Each has 23. View quote
Roberto Clemente
Here's that Clemente swing once again. Look at that bat stay back; cocked. Now, a trademark: hitting off the front foot! Look at that right foot, the rear foot, a foot off the ground-something that is not advisable as a hitter, but don't tell that to Clemente, or Hank Aaron. View quote
Roberto Clemente
It has just impressed me so much that I'll never forget Clemente. He can do everything so well. He runs well, he's got a magnificent arm, defensively; he does it all! And what a hitter! And that's not to say that Mays and Aaron are any less than a Clemente. But certainly, how could they be any better? View quote
Roberto Clemente
Old Joe remembers "a spraddle-legged hitter who looked good" whom Joe taught to change his tactics to pivot hitting. "He's the only fellow I ever tried to convert to the style who jumped onto the ideas in a minute. He was a young fellow named Babe Ruth who wanted to learn." View quote
Shoeless Joe Jackson
They say I was the greatest natural hitter of all time. Well that's saying a lot with hitters like Wagner, Cobb, Speaker and Ruth around. I had good eyes and I guess that was the reason I hit as well as I did. I still don't use glasses today. View quote
Shoeless Joe Jackson