--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason I play so hard is that…" description: "\"The reason I play so hard is that somewhere out there is some kid who has never seen me play before, and I don't want to disappoint him.\" — Joe DiMaggio" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/joe-dimaggio-14953_disappoint_the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewh_1203237.jpg" --- # The reason I play so hard is that somewhere out there is… ![“The reason I play so hard is that somewhere out there is some kid who has never seen me play before, and I don't want to disappoint him.” quote by Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/joe-dimaggio-14953_disappoint_the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewh_1203237.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/joe-dimaggio-14953_disappoint_the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewh_1203237.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/joe-dimaggio-14953_disappoint_the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewh_1203237.jpg) > “The reason I play so hard is that somewhere out there is some kid who has never seen me play before, and I don't want to disappoint him.” [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He is driven by the desire to inspire a child who has never seen him, fearing disappointment. **In simple terms:** Play hard to avoid letting a kid down. Key Takeaway Perform with purpose. Themes motivation responsibility inspiration Mood determined hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - sports competition - public speaking - mentoring Key Concepts performance role model expectation Questions to Reflect On - Who are you playing for? - Is the fear of disappointment healthy? A Different Perspective Pressure can lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Somewhere out there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somewhere-out-there/) ## Related quotes > [I always thought there was at least one person in the stands who had never seen me play, and I didn't want to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/i-always-thought-there-was-at-least-one-person-in-the-stands-who-had/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [“The reporter asked, "why did you play so hard." "Because there might have been somebody in the stands today who'd never seen my play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/the-reporter-asked-why-did-you-play-so-hard-because-there-might-have/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [It's very hard to be a kid, especially in a predominantly white school or white town where other people want to police your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lelia-bundles/it-s-very-hard-to-be-a-kid-especially-in-a-predominantly-white-school/) [A'Lelia Bundles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lelia-bundles/) > [It's so hard to find the time. I only have one kid and it's hard with one kid. I can't imagine people who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busy-philipps/it-s-so-hard-to-find-the-time-i-only-have-one-kid-and-it-s-hard-with/) [Busy Philipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busy-philipps/) > [Everyone talks about how hard it is to have a kid, and that scares you into waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-kershaw/everyone-talks-about-how-hard-it-is-to-have-a-kid-and-that-scares-you-2/) [Clayton Kershaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-kershaw/) > [I remember laughing so hard as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-remember-laughing-so-hard-as-a-kid/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [I've worked very hard since I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-freese/i-ve-worked-very-hard-since-i-was-a-kid/) [Josh Freese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-freese/) > [I think I'm very hard on myself. I think I've always been very hard on myself since I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harbour/i-think-i-m-very-hard-on-myself-i-think-i-ve-always-been-very-hard-on/) [David Harbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harbour/) > [“Life is hard, Kid, you gotta be harder. You gotta take it on and fight for it and be a fucking man about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/life-is-hard-kid-you-gotta-be-harder-you-gotta-take-it-on-and-fight/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [The road can be hard on a kid if he's not careful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-haley/the-road-can-be-hard-on-a-kid-if-he-s-not-careful/) [Bill Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-haley/) > [The thing that's so hard about being a kid is you don't have enough knowledge to explain things yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/the-thing-that-s-so-hard-about-being-a-kid-is-you-don-t-have-enough/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Remember me as a hard kid from Atlanta with a dream, who believed in himself and bettered himself - and won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-homie-quan/remember-me-as-a-hard-kid-from-atlanta-with-a-dream-who-believed-in/) [Rich Homie Quan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-homie-quan/) > [To do it on film, where it'll be seen by more people than have seen the play since it was written, it humbles you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-henderson/to-do-it-on-film-where-it-ll-be-seen-by-more-people-than-have-seen/) [Stephen Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-henderson/) > [I'd never even seen a play by the time I was 24 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-d-never-even-seen-a-play-by-the-time-i-was-24-years-old/) [John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/) > [Being a theater actor, I've done a lot of plays where I've seen someone else play the same role in another production. Especially with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacki-weaver/being-a-theater-actor-i-ve-done-a-lot-of-plays-where-i-ve-seen/) [Jacki Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacki-weaver/) ## More by Joe DiMaggio > [We need a hit, so here I go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/we-need-a-hit-so-here-i-go/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [You always get a special kick on opening day, no matter how many you go through. You look forward to it like a birthday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/you-always-get-a-special-kick-on-opening-day-no-matter-how-many-you/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [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/) > [The test of an outfielder's skill comes when he has to go against the fence to make a catch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/the-test-of-an-outfielder-s-skill-comes-when-he-has-to-go-against-the/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [I think there are some players born to play ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/i-think-there-are-some-players-born-to-play-ball/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [Too many kids today are playing major league ball and don't belong there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/too-many-kids-today-are-playing-major-league-ball-and-don-t-belong/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [Putting the Yankee uniform on every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/putting-the-yankee-uniform-on-every-day/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [When baseball is no longer fun, it's no longer a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/when-baseball-is-no-longer-fun-it-s-no-longer-a-game/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [I feel like I have reached the stage where I can no longer produce for my club, my manager, and my teammates. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/i-feel-like-i-have-reached-the-stage-where-i-can-no-longer-produce/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [I no longer have it (desire to play).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/i-no-longer-have-it-desire-to-play/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [There’s nobody taking center from me until I give it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/there-s-nobody-taking-center-from-me-until-i-give-it-up/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [I want to thank the good lord for making me a yankee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/i-want-to-thank-the-good-lord-for-making-me-a-yankee/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [In that case Mr. Barrow, Mr. Gehrig is a very underpaid ballplayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/in-that-case-mr-barrow-mr-gehrig-is-a-very-underpaid-ballplayer/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [Just two words: a masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/just-two-words-a-masterpiece/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) > [It's great to be young and be a Yankee!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/it-s-great-to-be-young-and-be-a-yankee/) [Joe DiMaggio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) [Explore all 44 Joe DiMaggio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/) ## More Disappoint quotes > [I will try to disappoint you better than anyone ever has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/i-will-try-to-disappoint-you-better-than-anyone-ever-has/) [Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/) > [In trying not to disappoint others; we disappoint ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-vermaak/in-trying-not-to-disappoint-others-we-disappoint-ourselves/) [Geraldine Vermaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-vermaak/) > [Love is mainly an affair of short spasms. If these spasms disappoint us, love dies. It is very seldom that it weathers the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/love-is-mainly-an-affair-of-short-spasms-if-these-spasms-disappoint/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/cynicism-masquerades-as-wisdom-but-it-is-the-farthest-thing-from-it/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Never remind yourself about the past, they will disappoint you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daudi-bilingi/never-remind-yourself-about-the-past-they-will-disappoint-you/) [Daudi Bilingi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daudi-bilingi/) > [Audiences don't ever disappoint me, in the sense that movies I feel really good about, they usually feel really good about too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/audiences-don-t-ever-disappoint-me-in-the-sense-that-movies-i-feel/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [I don't want to disappoint my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-bargatze/i-don-t-want-to-disappoint-my-parents/) [Nate Bargatze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-bargatze/) > [I've never been one to make plans, because I never wanted to disappoint myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-romijn/i-ve-never-been-one-to-make-plans-because-i-never-wanted-to/) [Rebecca Romijn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-romijn/) > [I am sorry to disappoint you, I'll never compete ever again at the Eurovision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conchita-wurst/i-am-sorry-to-disappoint-you-i-ll-never-compete-ever-again-at-the/) [Conchita Wurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conchita-wurst/) > [You should always aim to be your own mouse, Lieam. In fact...you already are. You are not so quick to jump into danger as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petersen/you-should-always-aim-to-be-your-own-mouse-lieam-in-fact-you-already/) [David Petersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petersen/) > [If I go up to Harlem or down to Sixth Street, and I'm not dressed up or I'm not wearing my jewelry, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-astor/if-i-go-up-to-harlem-or-down-to-sixth-street-and-i-m-not-dressed-up/) [Brooke Astor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-astor/) > [PROPERTY, n. Any material thing, having no particular value, that may be held by A against the cupidity of B. Whatever gratifies the passion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/property-n-any-material-thing-having-no-particular-value-that-may-be/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Let us say "Yes" to life and not death. Let us say "Yes" to freedom and not enslavement to the many idols of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/let-us-say-yes-to-life-and-not-death-let-us-say-yes-to-freedom-and/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [People or stars Regard me sadly, I disappoint them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/people-or-stars-regard-me-sadly-i-disappoint-them/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [The progress of despotism tends to disappoint its own purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-progress-of-despotism-tends-to-disappoint-its-own-purpose/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) Browse all 370 Disappoint quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The reason I play so hard is that somewhere out there is some kid who has never seen me play before, and I don't want to disappoint him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe DiMaggio" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewhere-out-there-is-some-kid-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disappoint" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewhere-out-there-is-some-kid-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/joe-dimaggio-14953_disappoint_the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewh_1203237.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/joe-dimaggio-14953_disappoint_the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewh_1203237.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/joe-dimaggio-14953_disappoint_the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewh_1203237.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The reason I play so hard is that somewhere out there is some kid who has never seen me play before, and I…” — Joe DiMaggio", "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": "Joe DiMaggio", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dimaggio/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The reason I play so hard...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewhere-out-there-is-some-kid-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dimaggio/the-reason-i-play-so-hard-is-that-somewhere-out-there-is-some-kid-who/#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 } } ] } ```