--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I get on base by making good contact with…" description: "\"I get on base by making good contact with the ball. But whenever I hit a home run, I'm as surprised as everybody else.\" — Amos Otis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/amos-otis-89246_balls_i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-wit_1369483.png" --- # I get on base by making good contact with the ball. But… ![“I get on base by making good contact with the ball. But whenever I hit a home run, I'm as surprised as everybody else.” quote by Amos Otis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/amos-otis-89246_balls_i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-wit_1369483.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/amos-otis-89246_balls_i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-wit_1369483.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/amos-otis-89246_balls_i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-wit_1369483.png) > “I get on base by making good contact with the ball. But whenever I hit a home run, I'm as surprised as everybody else.” [Amos Otis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-otis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even when skilled, unexpected success can feel surprising due to low expectations. **In simple terms:** Success can feel surprising even when earned. Key Takeaway Embrace humility; stay prepared. Themes sports performance expectation surprise humility Mood humble reflective motivational Type Balls:1 Baseball:1 Contact:1 Home:1 Home run:1 Running:1 Surprised:1 Ball Hit:1 Surprised Everybody:1 Run Surprised:1 When to use this quote - baseball games - personal goal setting - team dynamics Key Concepts psychology of achievement confidence humility Questions to Reflect On - Do you set realistic expectations? - How to stay grounded after success? A Different Perspective Unexpected success can challenge self-perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ball Hit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball-hit-860743/) [Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Contact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-run/) [Run Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run-surprised-4712457/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised/) [Surprised Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised-everybody-4712456/) ## Related quotes > [Every author dreams of the kind of attention that 'Beautiful Children' has received in the press. Obviously, it's a shock whenever it happens. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bock/every-author-dreams-of-the-kind-of-attention-that-beautiful-children/) [Charles Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bock/) > [When Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon, he and all the space scientists were puzzled by an unidentifiable white object. I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lefty-gomez/when-neil-armstrong-first-set-foot-on-the-moon-he-and-all-the-space/) [Lefty Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lefty-gomez/) > [Casey didn't easily forgive a guy who got doubled up on a hit-and-run play. He didn't see any reason why the runner couldn't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/casey-didn-t-easily-forgive-a-guy-who-got-doubled-up-on-a-hit-and-run/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [To be a good hitter you've got to do one thing - get a good ball to hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rogers-hornsby/to-be-a-good-hitter-you-ve-got-to-do-one-thing-get-a-good-ball-to-hit/) [Rogers Hornsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rogers-hornsby/) > [One time he (Cool Papa Bell) hit a line drive right past my ear. I turned around and saw the ball hit his ass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satchel-paige/one-time-he-cool-papa-bell-hit-a-line-drive-right-past-my-ear-i/) [Satchel Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satchel-paige/) > [Don't let the ball hit you. Catch it or get out of the way. And if you get out of the way, that's when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-machado/don-t-let-the-ball-hit-you-catch-it-or-get-out-of-the-way-and-if-you/) [Manny Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-machado/) > [The key step for an infielder is the first one, but before the ball is hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-weaver/the-key-step-for-an-infielder-is-the-first-one-but-before-the-ball-is/) [Earl Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-weaver/) > [Coming out of college I thought, I'm pretty good, I guess.' But once you're out there - it's a lot faster. The ball's being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-larson/coming-out-of-college-i-thought-i-m-pretty-good-i-guess-but-once-you/) [Jordan Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-larson/) > [On any ball hit to center field, let's just let it roll to see if it might go foul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe/on-any-ball-hit-to-center-field-let-s-just-let-it-roll-to-see-if-it/) [Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe/) > [I always tell myself to bat the full day, and if there is a ball to be hit, just hit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virender-sehwag/i-always-tell-myself-to-bat-the-full-day-and-if-there-is-a-ball-to-be/) [Virender Sehwag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virender-sehwag/) > [Of course, in pro ball, they never hit the quarterback in practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-namath/of-course-in-pro-ball-they-never-hit-the-quarterback-in-practice/) [Joe Namath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-namath/) > [The first rule of baseball is to get a good ball to hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rogers-hornsby/the-first-rule-of-baseball-is-to-get-a-good-ball-to-hit/) [Rogers Hornsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rogers-hornsby/) > [Some players just have the natural stroke that you throw them in the lineup and all of the sudden they turn on a ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-votto/some-players-just-have-the-natural-stroke-that-you-throw-them-in-the/) [Joey Votto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-votto/) > [Find out where the ball is, get there; hit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranjitsinhji/find-out-where-the-ball-is-get-there-hit-it/) [Ranjitsinhji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranjitsinhji/) > [The key step for an infielder is the first one, to the left or right, but before the ball is hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-weaver/the-key-step-for-an-infielder-is-the-first-one-to-the-left-or-right/) [Earl Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-weaver/) ## More by Amos Otis > [Listen, ump. How can you sleep with the lights on?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-otis/listen-ump-how-can-you-sleep-with-the-lights-on/) [Amos Otis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-otis/) [Explore all 2 Amos Otis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-otis/) ## More Balls quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Throwing a ball is not natural, whether it's overhand or underhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/throwing-a-ball-is-not-natural-whether-it-s-overhand-or-underhand/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I don't feel like I have to live up to anything because I've proven that I can play. Give me the ball and let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-portis/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-to-live-up-to-anything-because-i-ve-proven/) [Clinton Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-portis/) > [And if we seem nutty to you and if we seem like an odd ball to you, just remember one thing. The mighty oak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/and-if-we-seem-nutty-to-you-and-if-we-seem-like-an-odd-ball-to-you/) [Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/) > [You run the football for toughness. You run the ball to tell your opponent that you're as tough as they are. But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/) [Jerry Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-glanville/) [Browse all 3,005 Balls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I get on base by making good contact with the ball. But whenever I hit a home run, I'm as surprised as everybody else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amos Otis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-otis/i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-with-the-ball-but-whenever-i-hit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balls" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-otis/i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-with-the-ball-but-whenever-i-hit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/amos-otis-89246_balls_i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-wit_1369483.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/amos-otis-89246_balls_i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-wit_1369483.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/amos-otis-89246_balls_i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-wit_1369483.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I get on base by making good contact with the ball. But whenever I hit a home run, I'm as surprised as…” — Amos Otis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amos Otis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-otis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I get on base by making...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-otis/i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-with-the-ball-but-whenever-i-hit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-otis/i-get-on-base-by-making-good-contact-with-the-ball-but-whenever-i-hit/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```