Ted Williams : Hall of Fame induction speech - 1966

Thank you. Thank you all. From the bottom of my heart.

Today, I'm thinking of a lot of things. I'm thinking of my old playground director in San Diego, California. Rodney Luscombe. My old high school coach Woz Caldwell. My managers who had such patience with me and helped me so much. Those like Frank Shellenback, my first manager in San Diego, 1936, Donny Bush, who was my manager after Red Sox, bought me and farmed me out to Minneapolis. Joe Kronman, who I can't say enough wonderful things about, and he knows, and I know how important he was to me. I'm thinking of Tom Yarky and I've always said it and I'd like to repeat it again today. That to me, Tom Yarky is the greatest owner in baseball. And I was lucky to have played on the club he owned. And I'm grateful here for his being here today. But I'm not, not belittling if I'd have left it at that, because ball players are not born great.

They're not born hitters or pitchers or managers. And luck isn't the key factor. No one has come up for a substitute for hard work. I've never met a great baseball player who didn't have to work harder at learning to play baseball than anything else he ever did.

To me, it was the greatest fun I ever had, which probably explains why today I feel both humility and pride because God let me play the game and to learn to be good at it. Proud because I've spent most of my life in the company of so many wonderful people. There are plaques dedicated to baseball men of all generations, and I'm privileged to join them.

Baseball gives every American boy a chance to excel, not just to be as good as someone else, but to be better than someone else. This is the nature of man and the name of the game, and I've always been a very lucky guy to have worn a baseball uniform, to have struck out or hit a tape major home run. And I hope that someday the names of Satchell Page and Josh Gibson in some way can be added as a symbol, the great Negro players that are not here, only because they were not given a chance. And I know Casey Stengel feels the same way, and I'm awfully glad to be with him on this big day. I also know I'll lose a dear friend if I don't stop.

And that is unforgettable. So in closing, I'm grateful and I know how lucky I was to have been born in America and had a chance to play the game I loved. The greatest game of them all. Baseball.

Frank Thomas: 'You can't win any game without teammates, and I had the best of them', Baseball Hall of Fame induction - 2014

27 July 2014, Cooperstown, New York, United States

Give me a second. Thank you, Mr. Commissioner, Ms. Jane Forbes Clark.

Today I would like to thank the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the baseball writers for selecting me as a first ballot selection in this 2014 Hall of Fame class. I'm so humbled and honored to be a part of this historic class of first ballot Hall of Famers. To share the stage in front of all the legendary men who made the game better for us all, I'm speechless.

I want to personally thank you all for being great role models and making this great game what it is today. Hard work, dedication and commitment. No short cuts to success, thanks for having me in your Club.

I would like to thank my parents, Charlie Mae Thomas, who’s here today, and the late Frank Thomas, Sr., for giving me the love and support that keep me involved in team sports in a lovely town Columbus, Georgia.

I would also like to thank my parents for working so hard to instill core values to make the best of life. We didn't have much but my parents worked tireless for me and my four siblings. Frank Sr., I know you're watching and smiling from heaven. Without you, I know 100 percent I wouldn't be here in Cooperstown today.

Thanks for pushing me and always preaching to me: You can be someone special if you really work at. I took that to heart, Pops. Look at us today. We're a long way from Columbus, Georgia. Mom, thanks for hanging in there and believing in the same vision. I know it wasn't easy, but I thank you for the motherly love and support.

Raising all of us was tough, but you and Dad made sure we made it. You guys made it look easy for us. I thank you and I love you, Mom.

I would now like to thank my beautiful wife, Megan, and my five wonderful children: Sterling, Sloan, Sydney, Frankie and Ashleigh Kate for making life so unforgettable for me. I know all five of you are different, and all five of you complete me day by day.

That's what makes me feel so blessed. You guys are my everything. There are no words to describe how much I love you guys.

I especially want to say thanks, Megan, for coming into my life 15 years ago. When we met, life was throwing me a curveball, one I could not hit. But meeting you really put pep in my step and made me believe in love again.

I thank you for teaching me the value of family first. You took my three older kids immediately as your own and changed my world forever. I know this wasn't easy but you proved your love for me from day one. I'm so blessed to be married to such a wonderful person. You complete me; I love you baby.

I would like to thank my siblings for all the love and support. My older sister, Gloria, Mary, Sharon and Michael. I can't name all my extended family and friends, I know you’re here, and I love you guys, but thank you for coming.

My older brother, Michael, thanks for being my best friend and for always having my back. Mike World, I can tell you everything and you always have advice for me, some good some and some bad, but thanks for being honest. I love you, Bro.

In life, you have infrastructure. I would like to thank my team who has kept me grounded and in touch with reality from day one. First, the late Robert Fraley. I know you're not here, my friend, but thanks for watching my career and giving me professional guidance you gave me. It's priceless.

Robert, you once said to me, "Life is not fair. You have to work hard and earn your respect." You were so right. I thank you for being honest with me. I know you're somewhere in heaven directing traffic because that's what true leaders do.

I would like to thank Frank Bumstead. I thank you for becoming my father figure in my life after I lost my father. Robert Fraley introduced us, and without you, I have no clue where I would be today. I love you, man. Taryn Anderson, thank you for dealing with me on a daily basis, keeping me straight. I appreciate everything you do, because I know it's not easy. Thank you.

And Lisa Rybicki, I thank you for managing my life for 16 long years. Without you, my career could have fell off a long time ago. I thank you for keeping everyone in check. You did a wonderful job. Thank you, Lisa.

Also like to thank Arn Tellum and Joel Wolf for picking up the pieces later in my career and guiding me to new beginnings in Oakland and Toronto. I thank you guys.

Now, I would like to thank the Chicago White Sox organization for drafting me into professional baseball. Special thanks to Jerry Reinsdorf, Eddie Einhorn, Larry Himes, Al Goldis, Howard Pizer and Mike Rizzo for taking a chance on a kid from a small town with many big dreams.

Jerry, thanks for a long and wonderful ride in that Chicago White Sox uniform. You did a lot for me and you still mean a lot to me. Thank you, my friend.

Also I would like to thank all my general managers and managers along the way in Chicago: Ron Schuler, Danny Evans, Jeff Torborg, Gene Lamont, Terry Bevington and Kenny Williams, Jerry Manuel and a special thanks to Ozzie Guillen, 11 years as a teammate, three years as a manager, and I can thank you for getting me my only ring because we had that special bond for many years. I thank you, Ozzie, thank you very much.

A special thanks goes out to Ken Hawk Harrelson. Hawk thanks for penning me the Big Hurt. Your nickname for me really changed my life forever.

Hawk, I’d also like to thank you for being a friend and a source of guidance all those years on the plane, through the ups and downs, through the good and bad times, it was priceless picking your brain. Thank you, Hawk.

I would like to thank the Oakland A's and Toronto Blue Jays for believing in me as a free agent and signing me into their organizations. Lou Wolf, Billy Beane, Dave Forrest, thanks for taking a chance on me, twice. That 2000 season was magical. Without it, I doubt I would be speaking here today.

JP Richardi, Alex Anthopoulos, I thank you and the wonderful Toronto organization for bringing me to Toronto. Hitting No.500 in that Blue Jay uniform was a dream. Thanks for taking a chance on a 39 year old, I really appreciate that.

In my career, I had so many magical moments in all three uniforms. It was a career filled with great memories and great people in all three great organizations. I will always be thankful for all of you. I would like to thank all the coaches who really made me tick and put in many hours of hard work with me.

You know I couldn't forget you guys. Bobby Howard, I know you're here somewhere, it started with you. You made me grow up in a hurry. Your no nonsense approach to the game was needed at an early age. Winning was the only option. You preached that and you made me work for it. Playing for you set my foundation for life. Love you and I thank you.

I would like to thank Pat Dye, Jay Jacobs, Hal Baird, under your guidance at Auburn University I became a man and you guys pushed me to new heights and instilled toughness and a will to win that I really never knew existed.

Coach Barrett, thanks for treating me like a pro before my time. I thank you, my friend. I know I couldn't make it here today, but I thank you.

Coach Dye, it's the same. I know you couldn't make it either, but I really thank you for letting me play both sports. The decision changed my life. I thank you for letting me follow my dreams. Your passion for what's right led me to my current package in baseball. I thank you Coach Dye and War Damn Eagle.

And this is a tough one. I have a special love for this man, Walt Hriniak, my favorite hitting coach of all time. I thank you for being honest from day one. You taught me to only want to be the best. You would always say to me, "Anyone could be good, Frank. But the special ones want to be great." Our work sessions were very consistent every day. It didn't matter if we were 10 for 10 or 0 for 10. It was the same process every day, no free lesson. Consistency and dedication was what made you tick, and I'm so grateful for your tutelage.

Having you first in the big leagues made it difficult for me when you left. Preparation for games wasn't the same any more, but I can always remember you saying, "Keep your f'ing head down and finish, Frank."

Thanks, Walter. Without you, I know I wouldn't be here in Cooperstown here today. Thanks to my other coaches who put in time with me. Sorry I can't ramble all day. I've been told by the rookie has to hurry you have.

Doug Mansolino, Mike Gellinger, Ron Jackson, Greg Walker, Gary Ward, Tom Pachoriek, Gerald Perry, Ron Washington, Ken Macha, John Gibbons, Mickey Bradley, Wallace Johnson,Dave Laroche, Joe Nossek, Cave Man Art Kushner, Mark Salas, Tommy Thompson, the late Kevin Hickey, Chet Demedio, Steve Odgers, Walt Pasternak, Allen Thomas, Clarence Cockrell and Donovan Santas and a special thanks to my friend and coach, Jim Fannin, I know you're here somewhere, Jim. You told me to live in the zone, on and off the field, and even today, I thank you, Buddy.

A heartfelt thanks to all my trainers. Thanks for all the hard work getting me to the post every day. Herm Schneider, I thank you for all the overtime you put in with me, 16 years of TLC. Hermie, thanks my man, you gave me the best professional care year in and year out. I'm so appreciative of you.

Mark Anderson, Brian Ball, Larry Davis, Steve Soupy Sales, Walt Horn, George Poulis - my main man George Poulis, Dave Abraham, Scott Takoe, Amy George and Tim Soder, I thank all of you for your help along the way. Just like to say special thanks to my clubhouse managers, I know they never get any love. Clubhouse managers, pr managers, traveling secretaries; the late Chicken Willie Thompson, Vinnie Fresso, Gabe Morrell, Steve Vuchinich, Jeff Ross, Scott Refeirt, Jay Steinhouse, Glen Rosenbaum, Mickey Morabtio, Mike Shaw, I thank you all for taking care of me. You're all great at what you do. Thanks for all the love.

I want to have a special thanks to all my doctors, I couldn't include all of you today, but a few of you, I'd like to say, thanks again, James Boscardin, Dr. Price, Lowell Wyle, Sr. Dr. Elliot Schwartz, I know Elliot is here. Thank you for what you did for me in Oakland, you're a friend and buddy.

But I have to say one special thank you to Dr. Richard Ferkel. Yes, Dr. Ferkel is here. You repaired my navicular fracture when everyone said I was done. I was sitting at 452 home runs and you looked at me and said, "I'm going to get you back on the field." You never doubted putting me back there and you helped me finish my career. And getting to Cooperstown, I never thought it would happen. I thank you, you mean so much to me and you mean more to me now as a friend. Thank you, Dr. Ferkel.

Getting here was a reflection of my teammates. You can't win any game without teammates, and I had the best of them. Over 850 of them in my time. Getting here as a series of reflections of their talents. I don't have all day here, I only have ten minutes and I might be over – I’m sorry, I'm an emotional guy because I wear my heart on my sleeve. So I'm going to give my guys a verbal montage, please bear with me.

Please bear with me: One Dog, Rock, Grabek, R.V., Ozzie, Joey, Pudge, Karko, Psycho Lyons, Bo, Ellis, Black Jack, the Deacon, Sugar Ray, Alex, Wilson, Bere, Roberto, Thiggy, James Baldwin, Billy Bob, Buehrle, Hot Rod – thanks for the program Hot Rod. D. Bo., Magglio, Carlos, Rowand, Jermaine Dye. He’s here today along with Aaron Rowand. Ivan, Phil, Paulie, Crede, Uribe, Charles Johnson, Sandy, T. Phillips, Harold, Melido, Howry, Foulke, Mike Jackson, Flash, Kenny, Sandy, A.J., Robbie, McElroy, Marullo, Spanky, Julio, Willie Chill, Singleton, Mouton, Davey, El Duque, Fordyce, Leifer, G. Bell, C. Everett, Danny Pasqua, D.J., McCaskill, Paul, Huff, Valentin, Abbott, Devereaux, Kammy Kam (mentioned him twice by accident), John Kruk, Sirotka, Magrane, Freeman, Krueter, Norton, Tartabull, D. Lew, Scott Eyre, Navarro, Bradford, Castillo, Mark Johnson, Garland, Lowe, Eldred, Graffanino, Marte, Bartolo, Cotts, Glover, Loaiza, Contreras, Freddy, Politte. I know it’s long. Sorry. Jenks, Lee, B.A., Podsednik, Blanton, Kiko, Duke, Gaudin, Harden, Haren, Kotsay, The late Joe Kennedy. He left us too soon and was a special friend of mine. Saarloos, Huston, Zito, Kendall, Melhuse, Swisher, Chavy, Crosby, Ellis, D.J., Scutaro, Milton, Kielty, J. Payton, Doc Halladay, Accardo, A.J., Downsie, Frasor, Rios, Casey, League, McGowan, Marcum, B.J., Towers, A. Hill, Vernon, Johnny Mac, Orlando, Reed, Raja and Big Red.

Yeah, it was real. You guys are my family away from home. I miss all of you, I’m glad to have known all of you, I’m sorry I couldn’t name the rest of you guys. I’d probably be getting hit on the head right now from the guys in the back, but I thank you man.

In closing I would like to say thank you to the city of Chicago. You guys make the Big Hurt who he was in the greatest sport town in America. I know I'm biased, but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment playing for you all. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Oakland and Toronto, I thank you for great fan bases, also making me feel at home. It was short lived but I appreciate the love from both of you great cities.

To all you kids out there, just remember one thing from today. There are no shortcuts to success. Hard work, dedication, commitment, stay true to who you are. God bless you all, and I thank you.

Bob Uecker: 'When he called me about wrestling, I didn’t really want to do it', WWE Hall of Fame: 2010

27 March 2010, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Thank you very much. Thank you Richie (Dick Ebersol), long time friend. I had a lot to say but that (Antonio) Inoki guy (who spoke in Japanese) said the same stuff I was going to say. I was back there saying, ‘What’s he doing? He stole my stuff.’

Anyway, I wasn’t always a great player. People say, ‘You can talk the way you do because you were always a great ballplayer.’ Well, I wasn’t. Signed for a very modest $3000 bonus with the Braves. Which aggravated my old man because he didn’t have that kind of money to put out. But the Braves took it. And from there, I went on, was with the Braves twice actually. they didn’t believe I was as bad the first time, the second time I proved it . St Louis Cardinals where I showed up for every game, which i think showed great team spirit. And those I didn’t show up for I always tried to catch on the radio.

I played for the St. Louis Cardinals, where I won a world championship in 1964. Bing Devine was the general manager of the Cardinals at that time. He asked me to do him a favor that would really help the club. I said, ‘Sure, I’m a team guy.’ He said, ‘We want to inject you with hepatitis. That will allow us to call somebody up to take your spot.’ I said, ‘Can I sit on the bench?’ He said, ‘Yeah, we’ll put a plastic thing around you. Maybe you can go over and shake hands with some of the Yankee players and infect them.’ We went on to win the World Championship that year.

Actually, the first sport I tried when I was a youngster was football. My dad didn’t know a lot about sports but he wanted me to do what all the other kids were doing. He gets me this football. We were passing it and trying to kick it. I couldn’t throw it. He can’t throw it. We were really getting aggravated and stuff like that. Then a nice-enough neighbor came over and put some air in it, and it made a huge difference.

Actually, I took an interest in wrestling, in high school. I wasn’t a very big guy. I was about 5-11. I weighed, I don’t know, maybe 75, 80 pounds. A couple guys used to wear my supporter as a wristband. I came from a family that didn’t have a lot of money. My mother made my supporter out of a flour sack. Little specks of flower came dropping out of it. In the front, it said ‘Pillsbury’s Best.’

Tonight, I wore my Hall of Fame ring from wrestling. They gave everybody one from the WWE, thank you very much. All the other wrestlers got a diamond. I got a zircon. And theirs is not adjustable like mine. At the awarding of the championship rings the following year, that’s what every player’s dream is, a world championship. I remember opening night in St. Louis, 1965, they’re presenting the rings and they threw mine out in left field. I found it and put it on. Nobody else got theirs thrown. They had to hand it to them (shrugs).

I set a lot of records. I never stole a base in the major leagues. I never attempted to steal a base in the major leagues. I showed up for every game, which I thought showed great team spirit. The ones I didn’t show up for, I always tried to catch on the radio.

Meeting (NBC Sports and Entertainment Chairman) Dick Ebersol a long time ago. Midnight Special. Saturday Night Live. All those shows through Richie I participated in. When he called me about wrestling, I didn’t really want to do it. I was doing baseball Spring training was when Wrestlemania III was going to take place in Detroit. I kept telling him no but he came out there and we finally agreed to do it, and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life.

I remember going to Los Angeles to do the promotion stuff. It was Hulk Hogan, (Andre) the Giant, (Bobby) the Brain (Heenan), Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, who coincidentally said, ‘Uke, why don’t you take a picture with Damian?’ I said, ‘Who’s Damian.’ He said, ‘He’s in the bag.’ I said, ‘So am I. Give me a couple more beers.’ So he took the snake out and I put him around me. He said, ‘Don’t worry. He’s big and he's strong.’ He got his tail around my leg and I’m holding him and I’m looking at Jake and he’s got this huge scar right here (on his chest). I said, ‘What is that?’ He said, ‘That’s where Damian bit me.’ I said, ‘Oh, what a great time that must be. I hope he bites me, too.’

I remember the one thing with Jake with Donald Trump’s wife, Ivana. He put that snake down at her feet and she left Wrestlemania so fast, she just left Donald there and she ain't seen him since, I guess.

We did the promotional stuff. I got to work with Mary Hart. Beautiful lady, great sport and all that. When we go to Detroit to do the show, I’m having the time of my life. And when the Giant came out and choked me, and let me go, I didn’t know he was going to do that. I really didn’t. I was supposed to talk about Vanna White. He didn’t care about Vanna White. He wanted to kill somebody. When he choked me and let me go, now if the camera stays on, you see me on top of Andre. Oh yeah. Vince McMahon was screaming, ‘Get off him. He’s got a match.’ I got him in a step-over toe hold, I don’t really know what it was. It wasn’t all Andre. I remember later on, when I was changing underwear (laughter)… I wasn't going to let that guy get away with that.

As I said earlier, some of the greatest times I’ve had in sports, entertainment, anything else, was to be around Richie, Vince McMahon and all these wrestling greats. The old-timers back there, back when I wrestled, I think got more interested in wrestling, when I was 8 or 9 years old, my mother started taking in wrestler’s laundry to make a couple extra bucks. I remember taking Dick ‘The Bruiser’s’ tights and putting them on. They were tight, nice. He came in the booth one day. I was doing play by play, imitating Dick ‘The Bruiser.’ (Gruff voice) Swing and a miss, struck him out. One day he came in and said, ‘Let’s see if you think you’re funny now.’ He was a football player with the Green Bay Packers, Dick ‘The Bruiser.’ All the wrestlers that came to Milwaukee in those years wrestled at the (indistinguishable) Hall. I started becoming a wrestling fan. I got a kick out of that. I still do today. Unbelievably strong, athletic. It reminds me of myself when I was younger.

When I look back, I was a right-handed-hitting, strikeout artist. Sooner or later, I was going to hit .200. It tied me with another sports great, Don Carter, one of our top bowlers. To have been a member of baseball team, to broadcast baseball today, to mess around with television shows and movies and all of this stuff, and tonight especially to be here with you. When I walked in here tonight and looked around, I said, ‘Man, this pace is jam packed.’ I know it will be tomorrow, too, for Wrestlemania. I'll be there, too.

Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your time tonight and patience. To all the members of the WWE, like I said before, great athletes, unbelievable entertainment. I don’t know how you guys do it, I really don’t All the body punches you take. That’s why I didn’t want to play and get hurt. Getting a hit once a month was OK. Hitting .200, that was OK. If you did more, they’d expect more of you. One hit a year, let’s leave it at that. Anyway, thank you very much for your time. Thank you."

Phil Rizzuto: 'Any time you want to leave, just leave', Baseball Hall of Fame - 1994

31 July 1994, Cooperstown, New York, USA

Holy cow!

I have had problems with my voice, never had this before.

You can read transcript of speech here. 'Top of the Heap - A Yankees Collection'

Dave Belisle: 'There's no disappointment in your effort', postgame Little League World Series - 2014

15 August 2014, Cumberland, USA

Hey. Everybody, heads up high, heads up high. Let's talk for a moment here. I got to see your eyes, guys. There's no disappointment in your effort, in the whole tournament and the whole season. It's been an incredible journey. We fought. Look at the score eight to seven, 12 to 10 in hits, came to the last out. We didn't quit. That's us. Boys, that's us.

The only reason why I'll probably end up shedding a tear is because this is the last time I'm going to end up coaching you guys. I'm going to bring back with me, and the coaching staff is going to bring back with me, you guys are going to bring back something that no one other team can provide, but you guys. That's pride. Pride.

You're going to take that for the rest of your life, what you provided for our town in Cumberland. You had the whole place jumping. You had the whole state jumping. You had New England jumping. You had ESPN jumping. Want to know why? They like fighters. They like sportsmen. They like guys who don't quit. They like guys who play the game the right way.

 If everyone would play baseball like the Cumberland Americans, this would be the greatest game. This would be the greatest game. The lessons you guys have learned along the journey, you're never going to forget, but we're going to have some more fun. We've got two more days of fun. You guys earned that right to have a lot of fun. When you walk around this ballpark in the next couple of days, they're going to look at you and say, "Hey, guys, you guys were awesome."

I'm not going to have to tell you, because everybody has said you guys are awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Absolutely awesome. We're going to enjoy the next two days because we deserve it. We've been going since the 12th, and we're going to enjoy it. It's okay to cry, because we're not going to play baseball together anymore, but we're going to be friends forever. Friends forever. Our Little League careers have ended on the most positive note that could ever be. Ever be.

There's only going to be one team that's going to walk out of here, guys, World Series champions. Only one. Only one. We got down to the nitty-gritty. We're one of the best teams in the world. Think about that for a second. For the world. We need to go see our parents because they're so proud of you.

 Now, one more. I want a big hug. I want everyone to come in here for one big hug. One big hug. One big hug. Then, we're going to go celebrate. Hey, boys, then we're going to go celebrate it with our parents, and then tomorrow, we're going to celebrate and then we're going to come back home to a big parade, okay? Got it?

Players: Yes, coach.

Dave Belisle: love you, guys. I'm going to love you forever. You've given me the most precious moment of my athletic and coaching career, and I've been coaching a long time. A long time. I'm getting to be an old man. I need memories like this. I need kids like this. You're all my boys. You'll be the boys of summer. For the last time, we're going to try to suck it up, and we're going to yell, "Americans." One, two, three.

Players: Americans!

Dave Belisle: Okay, boys, good job. Let's go. Time to go.

Babe Ruth: 'You know this baseball game of ours comes up from the youth', Dying Babe Ruth Addresses Fans - 1947

27 April 1947, Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York

Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.

You know how bad my voice sounds -- well it feels just as bad.

You know this baseball game of ours comes up from the youth. That means the boys.

And after you're a boy and grow up to know how to play ball, then you come to the boys you see representing themselves today in your national pastime, the only real game -- I think -- in the world, baseball.

As a rule, some people think if you give them a football, or a baseball, or something like that -- naturally they're athletes right away.

But you can't do that in baseball.

You've gotta start from way down [at] the bottom, when you're six or seven years of age. You can't wait until you're fifteen or sixteen. You gotta let it grow up with you. And if you're successful, and you try hard enough, you're bound to come out on top -- just like these boys have come to the top now.

There's been so many lovely things said about me, and I'm glad that I've had the opportunity to thank everybody.

Thank you.

Jonny Gomes: 'It's unbelievable what those boys did!', World Series celebrations - 2015

3 November 2015, Union Station, Kansas City, USA

It’s unbelievable what those boys did! It’s unbelievable what they did! It’s unbelievable what they did! They stole bases, they hit homers. Hey guess what, Cy Young winner, not on our team, beat him. Rookie of the year, not on our team, we beat him. MVP of the whole league, (turns around) sorry guys not on our team. But we beat that guy too! You know why we beat them. Because all of you all people had our backs.

And Dayton Moore put this team together and Yost delivered it by being the captain of the ship. You all want to be politically correct, I’m the un-politically correct person. We whooped their ass!

Buck O'Neil: 'I see some black brothers and sisters out there. I know they can sing. Can you white folks sing?', Baseball Hall of Fame induction speech - 2006

30 June, 2006. Cooperstown, New York, USA

John Jordan 'Buck' O'Neil, despite a stellar playing and managing career for Kansas City Monarchs, missed out on the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. But when 17 other Negro Leaguers were inducted in 2006, he gave this magical speech honouring them, just before his death five months later. The Hall of Fame struck a lifetime achievement award in his name.

Alright, sit down. This is outstanding! I've been a lot of places. I've done a lot of things that I really liked doing. I hit the homerun. I hit the grand slam homerun. I hit for the cycle. I've had a hole-in-one in golf. I've done a lot of things I liked doing. I shook hands with President Truman. Yeah. Oh, man, I took -- Oh, [shook hands] with the other President and I...hugged his wife, Hillary. So I've done a lot of things I liked doing. But I'd rather be right here, right now, representing these people that helped build a bridge across the chasm of prejudice -- not just the ones like Charlie Pride and me that later crossed it. Yeah. This is quite an honor for me.

See, I played in the Negro Leagues. Tell you what: The Negro Leagues was nothing like Hollywood try to make it. The Negro Leagues was the third largest black business in this country. Yeah. First, black insurances to white insurances -- ten cent policy, just enough to bury us. But the black insurances insured our crops, our homes, yeah, our stock. They made millions.

Next, Madame C.J. Walker -- cosmetology. You see that pretty hair over there? Don't you see it on Mrs. Robinson? Tell you what. Yeah. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Madame C. J. Walker was doing that a hundred years ago, and she made millions, to tell you the truth. Madame C. J. Walker was the first black woman millionaire in this country. And to tell you Madam C.J. Walker might have been the first woman millionaire in the country that earned it. They had other women millionaires but they inherited the money. Madam C.J. Walker earned it.

Next, Negro League baseball. All you needed was a bus, and we rode in some of the best buses money could buy, yeah, a couple of sets of uniforms. You could have 20 of the best athletes that ever lived. And that’s who we are representing here today. It was outstanding.

And playing in the Negro leagues -- what a lot of you don’t know. See, when I played in the Negro leagues -- I first came to the Negro leagues -- five percent of Major League ball players were college men because the major leaguers wanted them right out of high school, put them in the minor league, bring them on in. But Negro leagues, 40 percent of Negro leagues, leaguers, were college men. The reason that was, we always spring trained in a black college town and that’s who we played in spring training, the black colleges. So when school was out, they came and played baseball. When baseball season was over, they’d go back to teaching, to coaching, or to classes. That was Negro League baseball. And I'm proud to have been a Negro league ball player. Yeah, yeah.

And I tell you what, they always said to me Buck, "I know you hate people for what they did to you or what they did to your folks." I said, "No, man, I -- I never learned to hate." I hate cancer. Cancer killed my mother. My wife died 10 years ago of cancer. (I'm single, ladies.) A good friend of mine -- I hate AIDS. A good friend of mine died of AIDS three months ago. I hate AIDS. But I can’t hate a human being because my God never made anything ugly. Now, you can be ugly if you wanna, boy, but God didn’t make you that way. Uh, uh.

So, I want you to light this valley up this afternoon. Martin [Luther King] said "Agape" is understanding, creative -- a redemptive good will toward all men. Agape is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. And when you reach love on this level, you love all men, not because you like 'em, not because their ways appeal to you, but you love them because God loved them. And I love Jehovah my God with all my heart, with all my soul, and I love every one of you -- as I love myself.

Now, I want you to do something for me. I’m fixin' to get off this stage now. I think I done my six minutes. But I want you to do something for me. I want you to hold hands. Whoever’s next to you, hold a hand. Come on, you Hall of Famers, hold hands. All you people out there, hold hands. Everybody hooked up? Everybody hooked up? Well then I tell you what. See, I know my brothers up here, my brothers over there -- I see some black brothers of mine and sisters out there -- I know they can sing. Can you white folks sing? I want you to sing after me:

The greatest thing -- come on everybody --

The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you.

The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you.

The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you.

The greatest thing in all my life is loving you.¹

Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you.  Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Now, sit down. Now, sit down. I could talk to you 10 minutes longer, but I got to go to the bathroom

nb. Buck O'Neil is comfortably the best 'athlete interviewee' of all time. Ken Burns' Baseball is a must.

Lou Gehrig: 'Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth' - 1939

July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day, Yankee Stadium, New York

Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I'm lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky.

When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that's something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies - that's something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that's something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body - it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that's the finest I know.

So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for.

Jack Buck: 'We have been challenged by a cowardly foe', 9-11 poem - 2001

17 September, 2001, Cardinals v Brewers, St Louis, USA

I would like to read a poem which I have written for this occasion, after which there will be a special 21-gun fireworks salute.

Since this nation was founded ... under God
More than 200 years ago
We have been the bastion of freedom
The light that keeps the free world aglow
We do not covet the possessions of others
We are blessed with the bounty we share.

We have rushed to help other nations
... anything ... anytime ... anywhere.

War is just not our nature
We won't start ... but we will end the fight
If we are involved we shall be resolved
To protect what we know is right.

We have been challenged by a cowardly foe
Who strikes and then hides from our view.

With one voice we say, "There is no choice today,
There is only one thing to do.

Everyone is saying -- the same thing -- and praying
That we end these senseless moments we are living.

As our fathers did before ... we shall win this unwanted war
And our children ... will enjoy the future ... we'll be giving.

[21 gun salute]