--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hey, it's been a great ride for me, a…" description: "\"Hey, it's been a great ride for me, a great life. Everything I have I owe to baseball. Baseball owes me nothin'. Ain't nobody has to give me nothin'. I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/don-zimmer-43448_baseball_hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-grea_2806802.jpg" --- # Hey, it's been a great ride for me, a great life… ![“Hey, it's been a great ride for me, a great life. Everything I have I owe to baseball. Baseball owes me nothin'. Ain't nobody has to give me nothin'. I would be embarrassed if I had a day somewhere. I don't want no day. I want friends, to live my life the way I wanna live it.” quote by Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/don-zimmer-43448_baseball_hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-grea_2806802.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/don-zimmer-43448_baseball_hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-grea_2806802.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/don-zimmer-43448_baseball_hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-grea_2806802.jpg) > “Hey, it's been a great ride for me, a great life. Everything I have I owe to baseball. Baseball owes me nothin'. Ain't nobody has to give me nothin'. I would be embarrassed if I had a day somewhere. I don't want no day. I want friends, to live my life the way I wanna live it.” [Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Baseball shaped his life; he feels indebted to the sport, not the other way around. **In simple terms:** Baseball gave him everything. Key Takeaway Give back to what you cherish. Themes sports gratitude self-reliance Mood nostalgic proud Type reflection personal narrative When to use this quote - team sports - retirement planning - mentor relationships Key Concepts career fulfillment personal identity Questions to Reflect On - What does baseball symbolize for you? - How can you express gratitude beyond your field? A Different Perspective May overlook other life influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Embarrassed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassed/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Great life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nothin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothin/) ## Related quotes > [The first thing baseball wants to do is make you a superstar and then say that you owe baseball something. I don't owe baseball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-aaron/the-first-thing-baseball-wants-to-do-is-make-you-a-superstar-and-then/) [Hank Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-aaron/) > [I don't think baseball owes colored people anything. I don't think colored people owe baseball anything, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-feller/i-don-t-think-baseball-owes-colored-people-anything-i-don-t-think/) [Bob Feller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-feller/) > [“Nobody owes nobody nothin'. You owe yourself. Friends don't owe! They do because the wanna do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nobody-owes-nobody-nothin-you-owe-yourself-friends-don-t-owe-they-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think baseball owes McGwire a gratitude of thanks for putting baseball back on the map where it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-canseco/i-think-baseball-owes-mcgwire-a-gratitude-of-thanks-for-putting/) [Jose Canseco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-canseco/) > [I owe baseball all that I have and much of what I hope to have. Baseball made my entrance to the film industry immeasurably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-connors/i-owe-baseball-all-that-i-have-and-much-of-what-i-hope-to-have/) [Chuck Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-connors/) > [I owe baseball. Baseball don't owe me a damn thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-owe-baseball-baseball-don-t-owe-me-a-damn-thing/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [Everything I have, I owe to baseball and the Dodgers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lasorda/everything-i-have-i-owe-to-baseball-and-the-dodgers/) [Tommy Lasorda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lasorda/) > [It's not like I'm the first man ever to do this, y'know? You gotta go back to Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Sammy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/it-s-not-like-i-m-the-first-man-ever-to-do-this-y-know-you-gotta-go/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [I lived in Dallas, and it's a big city, but you can jump on any freeway and drive in any direction for about 30…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stark-sands/i-lived-in-dallas-and-it-s-a-big-city-but-you-can-jump-on-any-freeway/) [Stark Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stark-sands/) > [I worked all my life to get to the penthouse and there ain't nothin' there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-worked-all-my-life-to-get-to-the-penthouse-and-there-ain-t-nothin/) [Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/) > [And my friends, you ain't seen nothin' yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/and-my-friends-you-ain-t-seen-nothin-yet/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [So, my sweetheart back home writes to me and wants to know what this gal in Bombay's got that she hasn't got. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvah-bessie/so-my-sweetheart-back-home-writes-to-me-and-wants-to-know-what-this/) [Alvah Bessie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvah-bessie/) > [With action films, it's great if it's not just driven by action, but by a good story and interesting characters, as well. Though, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/with-action-films-it-s-great-if-it-s-not-just-driven-by-action-but-by/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [It ain't nothin' till I call it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-klem/it-ain-t-nothin-till-i-call-it/) [Bill Klem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-klem/) > [If somebody gave you several thousand dollars and nothin' to do but write, would you be a writer then? Would you tell your stories,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/if-somebody-gave-you-several-thousand-dollars-and-nothin-to-do-but/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) ## More by Don Zimmer > [The weather's cold. My club's bad. My knee hurts. I can't putt no more. I'm off my diet. My wife is nagging me. Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/the-weather-s-cold-my-club-s-bad-my-knee-hurts-i-can-t-putt-no-more-i/) [Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) > [Everyone keeps me telling me how great a knee replacement is. Whitey Ford said it was great and so did Ralph Branca. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/everyone-keeps-me-telling-me-how-great-a-knee-replacement-is-whitey/) [Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) > [I was sitting in the back room by myself when someone came in and said, "Mr. Zimmer, I have to take you down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/i-was-sitting-in-the-back-room-by-myself-when-someone-came-in-and/) [Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) > [This new baseball is like a golf ball. I think there are going to be a lot more dents put in the wall at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/this-new-baseball-is-like-a-golf-ball-i-think-there-are-going-to-be-a/) [Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) > [What you lack in talent can be made up with desire, hustle, and giving 110 percent all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/what-you-lack-in-talent-can-be-made-up-with-desire-hustle-and-giving/) [Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) > [Baseball will miss Steinbrenner. He did a lot of great things-and some not so great-but it's a sad day for baseball, no doubt about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/baseball-will-miss-steinbrenner-he-did-a-lot-of-great-things-and-some/) [Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) > [One hundred ten thousand ears in this ballpark, and he's got to hit my ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/one-hundred-ten-thousand-ears-in-this-ballpark-and-he-s-got-to-hit-my/) [Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) > [Never drew a paycheck outside of baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/never-drew-a-paycheck-outside-of-baseball/) [Don Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) [Explore all 9 Don Zimmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/) ## More Baseball quotes > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-sosa/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-pennant-race-you-can-t-go-up-there/) [Sammy Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-sosa/) > [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/) > [Spring training means flowers, people coming outdoors, sunshine, optimism and baseball. Spring training is a time to think about being young again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-banks/spring-training-means-flowers-people-coming-outdoors-sunshine/) [Ernie Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-banks/) > [Pitchers pitch differently. Hitters, hardly anyone has the same stance. That's just how it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/pitchers-pitch-differently-hitters-hardly-anyone-has-the-same-stance/) [Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [I don't want the electronic strike zone. I like the element of sometimes pitches don't get called. 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": "Hey, it's been a great ride for me, a great life. Everything I have I owe to baseball. Baseball owes me nothin'. Ain't nobody has to give me nothin'. I would be embarrassed if I had a day somewhere. I don't want no day. I want friends, to live my life the way I wanna live it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Don Zimmer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-great-life-everything-i-have-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baseball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-great-life-everything-i-have-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/don-zimmer-43448_baseball_hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-grea_2806802.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/don-zimmer-43448_baseball_hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-grea_2806802.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/don-zimmer-43448_baseball_hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-grea_2806802.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hey, it's been a great ride for me, a great life. Everything I have I owe to baseball. Baseball owes me…” — Don Zimmer", "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": "Don Zimmer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-zimmer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hey, it's been a great ride...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-great-life-everything-i-have-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-zimmer/hey-it-s-been-a-great-ride-for-me-a-great-life-everything-i-have-i/#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 } } ] } ```