Quotes

When asked if he would knock down his mother on Mother's Day: "I would if she were crowding the plate."

When asked if he would throw at his mother: "It would depend how well she was hitting."

You can't get enjoyment out of hate. I wish I could live by this 100 percent, but every fourth or fifth day during the summer, I go into a Jekyll and Hyde act. Every time a player gets a hit or home run off me, I get strange notions and ideas of things I would like to do to him. Then after the game I feel ashamed and think to myself, 'This guy is a nice fellow and I wonder what's happening to you, Early?' So I'll call him up and invite him to be my guest at dinner and spend the evening talking shop.

I've got a right to knock down anybody holding a bat.

Asked if he would have brushed back his grandmother: "Only if she dug in."

A pitcher will never be a big winner until he hates hitters.

I don't like losing a ball game any more than a salesman likes losing a sale.

A pitcher has to look at the hitter as his mortal enemy.

That space between the white lines - that's my office. That's where I conduct my business.

A pitcher is only as good as his legs.