--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The older they get, the better they were…" description: "\"The older they get, the better they were when they were younger.\" — Jim Bouton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/jim-bouton-21172_baseball_the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were_2973506.jpg" --- # The older they get, the better they were when they were… ![“The older they get, the better they were when they were younger.” quote by Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/jim-bouton-21172_baseball_the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were_2973506.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/jim-bouton-21172_baseball_the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were_2973506.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/jim-bouton-21172_baseball_the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were_2973506.jpg) > “The older they get, the better they were when they were younger.” [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Older people are often better than they were when younger. **In simple terms:** Older individuals often improve with age. Key Takeaway Value experience. Themes age wisdom performance Mood respectful optimistic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - sports - business - leadership - creative arts Key Concepts career longevity personal development Questions to Reflect On - What advantages come with age? - How to leverage experience? A Different Perspective Ageism can obscure this truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [New york yankees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york-yankees/) [Yankees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yankees/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [We were like farm animals compared to today's players who are treated like thoroughbreds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/we-were-like-farm-animals-compared-to-today-s-players-who-are-treated/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [After I won 21 games, I said, "This isn't that hard actually. I can do this every year for maybe 10, 15 years." To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/after-i-won-21-games-i-said-this-isn-t-that-hard-actually-i-can-do/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [But I'm kind of comfortable with getting older because it's better than the other option, which is being dead. So I'll take getting older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/but-i-m-kind-of-comfortable-with-getting-older-because-it-s-better/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [If you ran a delicatessen store, you would want to be the best delicatessen store, wouldn't you? Well, that's how I feel about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/if-you-ran-a-delicatessen-store-you-would-want-to-be-the-best/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [Yeah? For what paper?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/yeah-for-what-paper/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [Those huckleberries in the National League don't want to do anything that the American League wants to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-rizzuto/those-huckleberries-in-the-national-league-don-t-want-to-do-anything/) [Phil Rizzuto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-rizzuto/) > [Hating the Yankees is as American as pizza pie, unwed mothers, and cheating on your income tax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-royko/hating-the-yankees-is-as-american-as-pizza-pie-unwed-mothers-and/) [Mike Royko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-royko/) > [The Babe is one fellow, and I'm another and I could never be exactly like him. I don't try, I just go on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gehrig/the-babe-is-one-fellow-and-i-m-another-and-i-could-never-be-exactly/) [Lou Gehrig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gehrig/) > [There's always some youngster coming up- they'll find somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/there-s-always-some-youngster-coming-up-they-ll-find-somebody/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [To get a better piece of chicken, you'd have to be a rooster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/to-get-a-better-piece-of-chicken-you-d-have-to-be-a-rooster/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [Winning is a lot of fun. I remember having a meeting a couple years ago and telling the guys: 'You're not enjoying yourselves.' O'Neill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/winning-is-a-lot-of-fun-i-remember-having-a-meeting-a-couple-years/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [The Feds can kiss my ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-strawberry/the-feds-can-kiss-my-ass/) [Darryl Strawberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-strawberry/) > [He's the leader on this team, I know when Baltimore let us have him, they thought they were giving us a problem. I'll take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steinbrenner/he-s-the-leader-on-this-team-i-know-when-baltimore-let-us-have-him/) [George Steinbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steinbrenner/) > [When you're losing, you see what your team is made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-granderson/when-you-re-losing-you-see-what-your-team-is-made-of/) [Curtis Granderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-granderson/) > [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/) ## More by Jim Bouton > [“I’m not sure I’m going to like Don Mincher. I keep hearing that big southern accent of his. It’s prejudice, I know, but every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/i-m-not-sure-i-m-going-to-like-don-mincher-i-keep-hearing-that-big/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [“Don’t ever think $7,000 isn’t a lot of money in baseball. I’ve had huge arguments over a lot less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/don-t-ever-think-7-000-isn-t-a-lot-of-money-in-baseball-i-ve-had-huge/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [You spend a good deal of your life gripping a baseball, and it turns out it was the other way around all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/you-spend-a-good-deal-of-your-life-gripping-a-baseball-and-it-turns/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [“A ballplayer spends a good piece of his life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/a-ballplayer-spends-a-good-piece-of-his-life-gripping-a-baseball-and/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [How come nobody wants to argue with me? Is it because I'm always so right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/how-come-nobody-wants-to-argue-with-me-is-it-because-i-m-always-so/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [Back then, if you had a sore arm, the only people concerned were you and your wife. Now it's you, your wife, your agent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/back-then-if-you-had-a-sore-arm-the-only-people-concerned-were-you/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [It never hurts to apologize, especially if you don't mean it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/it-never-hurts-to-apologize-especially-if-you-don-t-mean-it/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/baseball-players-are-smarter-than-football-players-how-often-do-you/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [Statistics are about as interesting as first base coaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/statistics-are-about-as-interesting-as-first-base-coaches/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [“Before the first workout, Joe Schultz, the manager (he’s out of the old school, I think, because he looks like he’s out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/before-the-first-workout-joe-schultz-the-manager-he-s-out-of-the-old/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [“Sheldon Kopp, the author and psychologist, wrote, “There are no great men. If you have a hero, look again: you have diminished yourself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/sheldon-kopp-the-author-and-psychologist-wrote-there-are-no-great-men/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [After I won 21 games, I said, "This isn't that hard actually. I can do this every year for maybe 10, 15 years." To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/after-i-won-21-games-i-said-this-isn-t-that-hard-actually-i-can-do/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [“Doubleday’s First Law, which states that if you throw a fastball with insufficient speed, someone will smack it out of the park with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/doubleday-s-first-law-which-states-that-if-you-throw-a-fastball-with/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [For a hundred years, the owners screwed the players. For 25 years, the players have screwed the owners-they've got 75 years to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/for-a-hundred-years-the-owners-screwed-the-players-for-25-years-the/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) > [We were like farm animals compared to today's players who are treated like thoroughbreds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/we-were-like-farm-animals-compared-to-today-s-players-who-are-treated/) [Jim Bouton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) [Explore all 29 Jim Bouton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/) ## 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": "The older they get, the better they were when they were younger.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Bouton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were-when-they-were-younger/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baseball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were-when-they-were-younger/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/jim-bouton-21172_baseball_the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were_2973506.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/jim-bouton-21172_baseball_the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were_2973506.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/jim-bouton-21172_baseball_the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were_2973506.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The older they get, the better they were when they were younger.” — Jim Bouton", "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": "Jim Bouton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bouton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The older they get, the better...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were-when-they-were-younger/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bouton/the-older-they-get-the-better-they-were-when-they-were-younger/#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 } } ] } ```