--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was real baseball. We weren't…" description: "\"That was real baseball. We weren't playing for money. They gave us Mickey Mouse watches that ran backwards.\" — Bill Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/bill-lee-26393_baseball_that-was-real-baseball-we-weren-t-playin_941711.jpg" --- # That was real baseball. We weren't playing for money. They… ![“That was real baseball. We weren't playing for money. They gave us Mickey Mouse watches that ran backwards.” quote by Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/bill-lee-26393_baseball_that-was-real-baseball-we-weren-t-playin_941711.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/bill-lee-26393_baseball_that-was-real-baseball-we-weren-t-playin_941711.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/bill-lee-26393_baseball_that-was-real-baseball-we-weren-t-playin_941711.jpg) > “That was real baseball. We weren't playing for money. They gave us Mickey Mouse watches that ran backwards.” [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on playing baseball for pure love, not profit, and receiving cheap, absurd rewards. **In simple terms:** Playing for love, not money, with silly rewards. Key Takeaway Enjoy the game for its own sake. Themes sports authenticity nostalgia Mood nostalgic reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - youth sports - amateur leagues - team bonding - reward systems Key Concepts motivation value of play Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you more: passion or payoff? - How do trivial rewards impact morale? A Different Perspective Even with love, financial pressures can affect sport culture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ## Related quotes > [Back in East St. Louis, tennis wasn't the real thing. If you weren't playing baseball, basketball, football, you were kind of on the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/back-in-east-st-louis-tennis-wasn-t-the-real-thing-if-you-weren-t/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [My siblings weren't playing music; I was the only one who wanted to buy a guitar and was listening on headphones the whole time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-granduciel/my-siblings-weren-t-playing-music-i-was-the-only-one-who-wanted-to/) [Adam Granduciel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-granduciel/) > [“I realized then that it was a game we were playing; from the very beginning. But we weren’t playing the same game and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-marie-gilliland/i-realized-then-that-it-was-a-game-we-were-playing-from-the-very/) [Jessica Marie Gilliland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-marie-gilliland/) > [We weren't playing much Dungeons and Dragons, we were mostly playing Magic the Gathering, but very similar. And we would go out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-duffer/we-weren-t-playing-much-dungeons-and-dragons-we-were-mostly-playing/) [Ross Duffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-duffer/) > [I've seen a lot people like him, but they weren't playing on the wing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-meads/i-ve-seen-a-lot-people-like-him-but-they-weren-t-playing-on-the-wing/) Colin Meads > [How you play the game is for college ball. When you're playing for money, winning is the only thing that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-durocher/how-you-play-the-game-is-for-college-ball-when-you-re-playing-for/) [Leo Durocher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-durocher/) > [“By spending time being abundant in the present, using the tactics and strategies I give you, such as playing the Money Game, you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mangena/by-spending-time-being-abundant-in-the-present-using-the-tactics-and/) [Daniel Mangena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mangena/) > [My father taught me poker at a very young age and I've been playing for money since I was 14 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-buffer/my-father-taught-me-poker-at-a-very-young-age-and-i-ve-been-playing/) [Bruce Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-buffer/) > [Playing with my money is like playing with my emotions, Smokey. -Big Worm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friday/playing-with-my-money-is-like-playing-with-my-emotions-smokey-big-worm/) [Friday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friday/) > [I played professional level sports. When you're playing for money, it's a whole other level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-russell/i-played-professional-level-sports-when-you-re-playing-for-money-it-s/) [Kurt Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-russell/) > [There's such a cynicism about the phrase 'I laughed all the way to the bank.' It's as though money is what you're doing, rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-shaw/there-s-such-a-cynicism-about-the-phrase-i-laughed-all-the-way-to-the/) [Artie Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-shaw/) > [I like the thought of playing for money instead of silverware. I never did like to polish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-sheehan/i-like-the-thought-of-playing-for-money-instead-of-silverware-i-never/) [Patty Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-sheehan/) > [I could have played another year, but I would have been playing for the money, and baseball deserves better than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brett/i-could-have-played-another-year-but-i-would-have-been-playing-for/) [George Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brett/) > [I'm not really playing for the money, ... I just want to go out there and have fun. I really missed it so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/i-m-not-really-playing-for-the-money-i-just-want-to-go-out-there-and/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [You've got no chance of reaching the top if you're just playing for money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/you-ve-got-no-chance-of-reaching-the-top-if-you-re-just-playing-for/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) ## More by Bill Lee > [When cerebral processes enter into sports, you start screwing up. It's like the Constitution, which says separate church and state. You have to separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/when-cerebral-processes-enter-into-sports-you-start-screwing-up-it-s/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [You take a team with twenty-five assholes and I'll show you a pennant. I'll show you the New York Yankees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/you-take-a-team-with-twenty-five-assholes-and-i-ll-show-you-a-pennant/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [Smoking's a way to let you down slowly from a ballgame. It also makes you use less of the resources around. It makes people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/smoking-s-a-way-to-let-you-down-slowly-from-a-ballgame-it-also-makes/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [The most important question regarding Big Data at almost any company is: How much are your customers really worth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/the-most-important-question-regarding-big-data-at-almost-any-company/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [ I told \[reporters\] that I sprinkled marijuana on my organic buckwheat pancakes, and then when I ran my five miles to the ballpark, it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/i-told-reporters-that-i-sprinkled-marijuana-on-my-organic-buckwheat/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [Baseball is a lot like the Army, there aren't many individuals. About the only difference is that baseball players get to stay in nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/baseball-is-a-lot-like-the-army-there-aren-t-many-individuals-about/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [“They say that time heals, but the intensity remains fresh and raw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/they-say-that-time-heals-but-the-intensity-remains-fresh-and-raw/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [Kids don't learn the fundamentals of baseball at the games anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/kids-don-t-learn-the-fundamentals-of-baseball-at-the-games-anymore/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [The other day they asked me about mandatory drug testing. I said I believed in drug testing a long time ago. 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For years pitchers have been getting these managers out 75% of the time and that's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/most-of-the-managers-are-lifetime-220-hitters-for-years-pitchers-have/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [The only rule I got is if you slide, get up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/the-only-rule-i-got-is-if-you-slide-get-up/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [The more self-centered and egotistical a guy is, the better ballplayer he's going to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/the-more-self-centered-and-egotistical-a-guy-is-the-better-ballplayer/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [I would change policy, bring back natural grass and nickel beer. Baseball is the belly-button of our society. Straighten out baseball, and you straighten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/i-would-change-policy-bring-back-natural-grass-and-nickel-beer/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [You have only two hemispheres in your brain - a left and a right side. The left side controls the right side of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/you-have-only-two-hemispheres-in-your-brain-a-left-and-a-right-side/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) [Explore all 21 Bill Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) ## More Baseball quotes > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. 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Guys don't receive it well or whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/i-don-t-want-the-electronic-strike-zone-i-like-the-element-of/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [If I was going to make one rule change, I would bring the DH to the National League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brett/if-i-was-going-to-make-one-rule-change-i-would-bring-the-dh-to-the/) [George Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brett/) > [In all honesty, once you become a professional, number one, you're no longer a fan. I don't root for the Dodgers, really. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/in-all-honesty-once-you-become-a-professional-number-one-you-re-no/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [I'll tell you what's helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game. It's something where people can go out, enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-caray/i-ll-tell-you-what-s-helped-me-my-entire-life-i-look-at-baseball-as-a/) [Harry Caray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-caray/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [What we should have done is kept the same team that played in the '95 World Series. Those trades (Eddie Murray & Carlos Baerga)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-belle/what-we-should-have-done-is-kept-the-same-team-that-played-in-the-95/) [Albert Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-belle/) > [“I can buy baseball cards to view an entire career on the back of a little square of cardboard. But nobody sells major league…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/i-can-buy-baseball-cards-to-view-an-entire-career-on-the-back-of-a/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) [Browse all 7,461 Baseball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That was real baseball. 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