--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be an American and unable to play…" description: "\"To be an American and unable to play baseball is comparable to being a Polynesian and unable to swim.\" — John Cheever" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff2/john-cheever-3301_baseball_to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-bas_2189978.jpg" --- # To be an American and unable to play baseball is… ![“To be an American and unable to play baseball is comparable to being a Polynesian and unable to swim.” quote by John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff2/john-cheever-3301_baseball_to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-bas_2189978.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff2/john-cheever-3301_baseball_to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-bas_2189978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff2/john-cheever-3301_baseball_to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-bas_2189978.jpg) > “To be an American and unable to play baseball is comparable to being a Polynesian and unable to swim.” [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uses baseball as a cultural metaphor for American identity and essential experiences. **In simple terms:** Baseball is essential to American life. Key Takeaway Recognize cultural symbols in identity. Themes culture identity sports Mood contemplative nostalgic Type cultural observational When to use this quote - sports journalism - cultural analysis - education Key Concepts American studies symbolism social norms Questions to Reflect On - What symbols define your cultural identity? - How do sports shape national narratives? A Different Perspective Not all Americans share this experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Unable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-unable-4766225/) [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Baseball Comparable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball-comparable-4766226/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-baseball/) [Polynesian Unable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polynesian-unable-4766227/) [Polynesians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polynesians/) [Softball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/softball/) [Swim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swim/) [Unable Swim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unable-swim-3854304/) ## Related quotes > [For me, baseball is more comparable to chess than it is to hockey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-garlin/for-me-baseball-is-more-comparable-to-chess-than-it-is-to-hockey/) [Jeff Garlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-garlin/) > [“Stop drowning your dreams by jumping into waters that you are unable to swim in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-weisman/stop-drowning-your-dreams-by-jumping-into-waters-that-you-are-unable/) [Loren Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-weisman/) > [“Unable to swim, he had maneuvered to fall off an old-timers’ party yacht in the Hudson River. His departure was not remarked by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/unable-to-swim-he-had-maneuvered-to-fall-off-an-old-timers-party/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [I read one time that when the Polynesians were still innocent it wasnt uncommon to see them alongside a road engaging in sex. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dansky/i-read-one-time-that-when-the-polynesians-were-still-innocent-it/) [Martin Dansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dansky/) > [“No sooner did the plan let them off at New Caledonia, than Barby found another friend. He was a Kanaka taxi driver, over six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-blaine/no-sooner-did-the-plan-let-them-off-at-new-caledonia-than-barby-found/) [John Blaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-blaine/) > [I'm looking forward to the time when we all look like Polynesians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/i-m-looking-forward-to-the-time-when-we-all-look-like-polynesians/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [Civilization does not engross all the virtues of humanity: she has not even her full share of them. They flourish in greater abundance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/civilization-does-not-engross-all-the-virtues-of-humanity-she-has-not/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Sleepy pulled the car to a stop in front of this paved entranceway, which was flanked on either side by these enormous palm trees,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/sleepy-pulled-the-car-to-a-stop-in-front-of-this-paved-entranceway/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Everyone asks about gold. This is the irony: just as Jim Grant tells us (correctly) that we all have faith-based paper currencies backed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/everyone-asks-about-gold-this-is-the-irony-just-as-jim-grant-tells-us/) [Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/) > [The Hawaiian Islands were discovered by hardy Polynesian sailors, who crossed thousands of miles of open ocean in primitive canoes, braving violent storm-tossed seas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hawaiian-islands-were-discovered-by-hardy-polynesian-sailors-who/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The Philippine races, like all the Malays, do not succumb before the foreigner, like the Australians, the Polynesians and the Indians of the New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/the-philippine-races-like-all-the-malays-do-not-succumb-before-the/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [As a Polynesian, our gods are tied to water, so this means something special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-momoa/as-a-polynesian-our-gods-are-tied-to-water-so-this-means-something/) [Jason Momoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-momoa/) > [“History teaches us many things. Most importantly, the things that made us who and what we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bonville/history-teaches-us-many-things-most-importantly-the-things-that-made/) [Robert Bonville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bonville/) > [Pretty Polynesian baby over the sea, I remember the night, when we walked in the sands of Waikiki and I held you oh so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-nelson/pretty-polynesian-baby-over-the-sea-i-remember-the-night-when-we/) [Ricky Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-nelson/) > [“In December of 2007 human bones including skulls, which have been radiocarbon dated back to between 1304 and 1424, were found in a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/in-december-of-2007-human-bones-including-skulls-which-have-been/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/) ## More by John Cheever > [Only the opium eater truly understands the pain of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/only-the-opium-eater-truly-understands-the-pain-of-death/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [The poet or storyteller who feels that he is competing with a superb double play in the World Series is a lost man. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/the-poet-or-storyteller-who-feels-that-he-is-competing-with-a-superb/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“She perceived vaguely the pitiful corruption of the adult world; how cruel and frail it was, like a worn piece of burlap, patched with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/she-perceived-vaguely-the-pitiful-corruption-of-the-adult-world-how/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [For lovers, touch is metamorphosis. All the parts of their bodies seem to change, and they seem to become something different and better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/for-lovers-touch-is-metamorphosis-all-the-parts-of-their-bodies-seem/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“I dream that someone in space says to me: So let us rush, then, to see the world. It is shaped like an egg,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/i-dream-that-someone-in-space-says-to-me-so-let-us-rush-then-to-see/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [I don't like to see all my energies, all of my youth, wasted in fur coats and radios and slipcovers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/i-don-t-like-to-see-all-my-energies-all-of-my-youth-wasted-in-fur/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [Literature has been the salvation of the damned, literature has inspired and guided lovers, routed despair and can perhaps in this case save the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/literature-has-been-the-salvation-of-the-damned-literature-has/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [At my back I hear the word-"homosexual"-and it seems to split my world in two… It is ignorance, our ignorance of one another, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/at-my-back-i-hear-the-word-homosexual-and-it-seems-to-split-my-world/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [One would never have guessed that the world had such a capacity for genuine grief. The most we can do is exploit our memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/one-would-never-have-guessed-that-the-world-had-such-a-capacity-for/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“His stepmother -wearing a nightgown for comfort and a flowered hat for looks- had spent her days sitting in their parlor window in Baltimore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/his-stepmother-wearing-a-nightgown-for-comfort-and-a-flowered-hat-for/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [Fear tastes like a rusty knife and do not let her into your house. Courage tastes of blood. Stand up straight. Admire the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/fear-tastes-like-a-rusty-knife-and-do-not-let-her-into-your-house/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [I dream that my face appears on a postage stamp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/i-dream-that-my-face-appears-on-a-postage-stamp/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [Wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil, not the strength to choose between the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/wisdom-is-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil-not-the-strength-to-choose/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“There was some faint coughing, a moan, and then a man spoke. "Are you all right, darling?" he asked. "Yes," a woman said wearily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/there-was-some-faint-coughing-a-moan-and-then-a-man-spoke-are-you-all/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [“It was one of those midsummer Sundays when everyone sits around saying, "I drank too much last night." You might have heard it whispered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/it-was-one-of-those-midsummer-sundays-when-everyone-sits-around/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) [Explore all 132 John Cheever quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) ## 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": "To be an American and unable to play baseball is comparable to being a Polynesian and unable to swim.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cheever" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-baseball-is-comparable-to-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baseball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-baseball-is-comparable-to-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff2/john-cheever-3301_baseball_to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-bas_2189978.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff2/john-cheever-3301_baseball_to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-bas_2189978.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff2/john-cheever-3301_baseball_to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-bas_2189978.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be an American and unable to play baseball is comparable to being a Polynesian and unable to swim.” — John Cheever", "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": "John Cheever", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To be an American and unable...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-baseball-is-comparable-to-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/to-be-an-american-and-unable-to-play-baseball-is-comparable-to-being/#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 } } ] } ```