--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started playing baseball and soccer…" description: "\"I started playing baseball and soccer. Those were my sports on the streets and in school when I was growing up. I didn't even start playing basketball ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/earl-monroe-34593_baseball_i-started-playing-baseball-and-soccer-th_267262.png" --- # I started playing baseball and soccer. Those were my… ![“I started playing baseball and soccer. Those were my sports on the streets and in school when I was growing up. I didn't even start playing basketball until I was 14,” quote by Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/earl-monroe-34593_baseball_i-started-playing-baseball-and-soccer-th_267262.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/earl-monroe-34593_baseball_i-started-playing-baseball-and-soccer-th_267262.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/earl-monroe-34593_baseball_i-started-playing-baseball-and-soccer-th_267262.png) > “I started playing baseball and soccer. Those were my sports on the streets and in school when I was growing up. I didn't even start playing basketball until I was 14,” [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) ## 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 discovering sports later in life, noting a late start in basketball compared to earlier activities. **In simple terms:** He started basketball later than other sports. Key Takeaway Embrace new opportunities at any age. Themes growth sports lateBloom Mood reflective optimistic Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - school sports - street play - late skill acquisition - personal growth Key Concepts development timing selfDiscovery Questions to Reflect On - What new skill could you start now? - How does age affect learning new sports? A Different Perspective Late starts may limit early competitive advantage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Playing baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-baseball/) [Playing basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-basketball/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Soccer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) ## Related quotes > [Once you get out there and start playing basketball, whether the NBA or college or whatever arena you are playing in or who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmer-fredette/once-you-get-out-there-and-start-playing-basketball-whether-the-nba/) [Jimmer Fredette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmer-fredette/) > [I really want to start playing basketball. I actually bought a new basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-gordon/i-really-want-to-start-playing-basketball-i-actually-bought-a-new/) [Kim Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-gordon/) > [I started playing music when I was 18. My heart was just broken so badly that I decided that I really wanted to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-kirke/i-started-playing-music-when-i-was-18-my-heart-was-just-broken-so/) [Lola Kirke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-kirke/) > [It really came down to deciding between baseball and soccer. Soccer won out because I enjoyed it more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcbride/it-really-came-down-to-deciding-between-baseball-and-soccer-soccer/) [Brian McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcbride/) > [I love sports. I've played basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, track and field growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/i-love-sports-i-ve-played-basketball-baseball-soccer-tennis-track-and/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [Hockey is no longer a big four. It's football, basketball, baseball and soccer. Now, I'm not talking MLS. I'm talking COPA, World Cup, men's,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cowherd/hockey-is-no-longer-a-big-four-it-s-football-basketball-baseball-and/) [Colin Cowherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cowherd/) > [“What those anti-cookie-baking mothers wanted me to do was turn baseball into soccer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/what-those-anti-cookie-baking-mothers-wanted-me-to-do-was-turn/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [I think if you're put on a team as a child, like you are in soccer and other sports, I think the children are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-jean-king/i-think-if-you-re-put-on-a-team-as-a-child-like-you-are-in-soccer-and/) [Billie Jean King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-jean-king/) > [If this can be termed the century of the common man, then soccer, of all sports, is surely his game… In a world haunted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-rous/if-this-can-be-termed-the-century-of-the-common-man-then-soccer-of/) Stanley Rous > [Soccer and sports are entertainment ... You can't call Beethoven's 9th Symphony or a work of Shakespeare 'entertainment.' It's not 'entertainment.' It's culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riccardo-muti/soccer-and-sports-are-entertainment-you-can-t-call-beethoven-s-9th/) [Riccardo Muti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riccardo-muti/) > [My father was a very fun dad; he was always coaching our soccer sports teams, he made sure that we had activities to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/my-father-was-a-very-fun-dad-he-was-always-coaching-our-soccer-sports/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [My father was a very fun dad. He was always coaching our soccer sports teams; he made sure that we had activities to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/my-father-was-a-very-fun-dad-he-was-always-coaching-our-soccer-sports-2/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I started playing basketball when I was 6 or 7. I wasn't strong enough to shoot the correct way, so I just used two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/i-started-playing-basketball-when-i-was-6-or-7-i-wasn-t-strong-enough/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [If we go back to when I first started playing basketball, I watched Diana Taurasi play when I was 10, and that's who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-plum/if-we-go-back-to-when-i-first-started-playing-basketball-i-watched/) [Kelsey Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-plum/) > [I started playing basketball at such a late age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/i-started-playing-basketball-at-such-a-late-age/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) ## More by Earl Monroe > [Sport is the only profession I know of that when you retire you have to go to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/sport-is-the-only-profession-i-know-of-that-when-you-retire-you-have/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [When people ask me what I miss most about the game, it's being in the locker room and getting to know the guys. Back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/when-people-ask-me-what-i-miss-most-about-the-game-it-s-being-in-the/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [I have been involved in music since 1972 when I started managing two artists from The Jimi Hendrix Band. My family has been involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/i-have-been-involved-in-music-since-1972-when-i-started-managing-two/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [Play the game with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/play-the-game-with-a-smile/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [Guys have to look up to somebody. Everybody needs to have their own role and somebody has to be the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/guys-have-to-look-up-to-somebody-everybody-needs-to-have-their-own/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [Maybe someone will step up, but they don't have anyone right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/maybe-someone-will-step-up-but-they-don-t-have-anyone-right-now/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [I think that any time you're able to get a guy like Carmelo Anthony to be on your team, you're going to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/i-think-that-any-time-you-re-able-to-get-a-guy-like-carmelo-anthony/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [Jamal Crawford reminds me the most of myself, the way he goes to the basket. But they need leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/jamal-crawford-reminds-me-the-most-of-myself-the-way-he-goes-to-the/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [Basketball for me has always been a matter of rhythm - what you do bouncing the ball, how you bounce the ball, how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/basketball-for-me-has-always-been-a-matter-of-rhythm-what-you-do/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [Baltimore was like a small town when I got there - the Colts, the Orioles, guys like Frank Robinson, we all knew and respected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/baltimore-was-like-a-small-town-when-i-got-there-the-colts-the/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [One of my other nicknames was Thomas Edison, because I invented so many moves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/one-of-my-other-nicknames-was-thomas-edison-because-i-invented-so/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [The game of basketball is one thing, but the image of the game is another thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/the-game-of-basketball-is-one-thing-but-the-image-of-the-game-is/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [Just be patient. Let the game come to you. Don't rush. Be quick, but don't hurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/just-be-patient-let-the-game-come-to-you-don-t-rush-be-quick-but-don/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) [Explore all 14 Earl Monroe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) ## 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. 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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. 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