--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Roger Maris was as good a man and as good…" description: "\"Roger Maris was as good a man and as good a ballplayer as there ever was.\" — Mickey Mantle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/mickey-mantle-3879_roger_roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-goo_1016401.jpg" --- # Roger Maris was as good a man and as good a ballplayer as… ![“Roger Maris was as good a man and as good a ballplayer as there ever was.” quote by Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/mickey-mantle-3879_roger_roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-goo_1016401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/mickey-mantle-3879_roger_roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-goo_1016401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/mickey-mantle-3879_roger_roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-goo_1016401.jpg) > “Roger Maris was as good a man and as good a ballplayer as there ever was.” [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great athletes combine moral character with skill, achieving legendary status. **In simple terms:** Great athletes blend character and talent. Key Takeaway Cultivate both skill and integrity. Themes sports character legacy Mood respectful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - team leadership - public speaking - coaching - community outreach Key Concepts sportsmanship performance excellence role modeling Questions to Reflect On - What values define a true sports legend? - How does character influence performance under pressure? A Different Perspective Talent without character can be hollow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know why Roger (Maris) isn't in the hall of fame. To me, he was as good as there ever was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/i-don-t-know-why-roger-maris-isn-t-in-the-hall-of-fame-to-me-he-was/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [A lot of people wrote that Roger (Maris) and I didn't like each other and that we didn't get along. Nothing could be further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/a-lot-of-people-wrote-that-roger-maris-and-i-didn-t-like-each-other/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [Roger (Maris) was a class act and I know exactly what he went through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcgwire/roger-maris-was-a-class-act-and-i-know-exactly-what-he-went-through/) [Mark McGwire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcgwire/) > [I used to love to come to the ballpark. Now I hate it. Every day becomes a little tougher because of all this. Writers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-aaron/i-used-to-love-to-come-to-the-ballpark-now-i-hate-it-every-day/) [Hank Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-aaron/) > [The strain on Roger (Maris) was unbelievable. After I dropped out the reporters only had one guy to go to. They surrounded him everywhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/the-strain-on-roger-maris-was-unbelievable-after-i-dropped-out-the/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [The greatest thing I ever saw was Roger Maris breaking Babe Ruth's record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/the-greatest-thing-i-ever-saw-was-roger-maris-breaking-babe-ruth-s/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [I wanted to show Baltimore that they were getting a good ballplayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-robinson/i-wanted-to-show-baltimore-that-they-were-getting-a-good-ballplayer/) [Frank Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-robinson/) > [I have an ego like everyone else. I want to be recognized as a good ballplayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/i-have-an-ego-like-everyone-else-i-want-to-be-recognized-as-a-good/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [If you can do that - if you run, hit, run the bases, hit with power, field, throw and do all other things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/if-you-can-do-that-if-you-run-hit-run-the-bases-hit-with-power-field/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [I think back and I really feel for what he (Roger Maris) went through, for all the negative stuff that was going on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcgwire/i-think-back-and-i-really-feel-for-what-he-roger-maris-went-through/) [Mark McGwire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcgwire/) > [Roger Maris lost his hair the season he hit sixty-one, I still have all my hair, but when it's over, I'm going home to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-aaron/roger-maris-lost-his-hair-the-season-he-hit-sixty-one-i-still-have/) [Hank Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-aaron/) > [I don't want to take anything away from Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. They're both great hitters, but they're batting against guys they never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-williams/i-don-t-want-to-take-anything-away-from-roger-maris-and-mickey-mantle/) [Ted Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-williams/) > [To play 18 years in Yankee Stadium is the best thing that could ever happen to a ballplayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/to-play-18-years-in-yankee-stadium-is-the-best-thing-that-could-ever/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [I thought I raised a ballplayer. You're nothing but a coward and a quitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/i-thought-i-raised-a-ballplayer-you-re-nothing-but-a-coward-and-a/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [“You are my life.” -Maris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-are-my-life-maris/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) ## More by Mickey Mantle > [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/) > [I wanted to throw my glass at the TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/i-wanted-to-throw-my-glass-at-the-tv/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [I guess you could say I'm what this country is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/i-guess-you-could-say-i-m-what-this-country-is-all-about/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [Of course, I didn't tell you about all the times I said I was going to hit one and it didn't happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/of-course-i-didn-t-tell-you-about-all-the-times-i-said-i-was-going-to/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [Heroes are people who are all good with no bad in them. That's the way I always saw Joe DiMaggio. He was beyond question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/heroes-are-people-who-are-all-good-with-no-bad-in-them-that-s-the-way/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [If you want to know who was better, me or Willie Mays, you have to look at our career stats. And Willie's bottom line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/if-you-want-to-know-who-was-better-me-or-willie-mays-you-have-to-look/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [My views are just about the same as Casey's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/my-views-are-just-about-the-same-as-casey-s/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [He who has the fastest golf cart never has a bad lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/he-who-has-the-fastest-golf-cart-never-has-a-bad-lie/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [I hated to bat against Drysdale. After he hit you he'd come around, look at the bruise on your arm and say, 'Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/i-hated-to-bat-against-drysdale-after-he-hit-you-he-d-come-around/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [Hey man! Get away from me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/hey-man-get-away-from-me/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [After I hit a home run I had a habit of running the bases with my head down. I figured the pitcher already felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/after-i-hit-a-home-run-i-had-a-habit-of-running-the-bases-with-my/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [When I'm hitting, I'd play for nothing. When I'm not, any kind of money I receive makes me feel as if I'm stealing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/when-i-m-hitting-i-d-play-for-nothing-when-i-m-not-any-kind-of-money/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [A team is where a boy can prove his courage on his own. A gang is where a coward goes to hide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/a-team-is-where-a-boy-can-prove-his-courage-on-his-own-a-gang-is/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [His fielding leaves you wondering. Then he steps up to hit and all doubts start to fade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/his-fielding-leaves-you-wondering-then-he-steps-up-to-hit-and-all/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [Billy (Martin) was a great one for jokes. He liked to play a joke more than anyone I ever knew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/billy-martin-was-a-great-one-for-jokes-he-liked-to-play-a-joke-more/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) [Explore all 120 Mickey Mantle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) ## More Ballplayer quotes > [For me, I try to look at a person's swagger and a little background on them if I already haven't liked them as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bivins/for-me-i-try-to-look-at-a-person-s-swagger-and-a-little-background-on/) [Michael Bivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bivins/) > [I think what separates a superstar from the average ballplayer is that he concentrates just a little bit longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-aaron/i-think-what-separates-a-superstar-from-the-average-ballplayer-is/) [Hank Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-aaron/) > [Baseball shaded my entire outlook on life, because that's how I first saw the world. I looked at everything, even today, through what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-russell/baseball-shaded-my-entire-outlook-on-life-because-that-s-how-i-first/) [Kurt Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-russell/) > [I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all I had to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-want-to-be-remembered-as-a-ballplayer-who-gave-all-i-had-to-give/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [Has he (Rickey Henderson) ever been here (Spring Training) the first day? You have to say Rickey's consistent. That's what you want in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/has-he-rickey-henderson-ever-been-here-spring-training-the-first-day/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [I'm a ballplayer that knows himself, and I'm patient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-acuna-jr/i-m-a-ballplayer-that-knows-himself-and-i-m-patient/) [Ronald Acuna Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-acuna-jr/) > [I'm a ballplayer. I know how hard the game is... and anybody that makes it in the Hall of Fame, I support. They become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brett/i-m-a-ballplayer-i-know-how-hard-the-game-is-and-anybody-that-makes/) [George Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brett/) > [I'm proud of everything that I've accomplished since I was a little boy. That was my dream - to be a ballplayer. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-alomar/i-m-proud-of-everything-that-i-ve-accomplished-since-i-was-a-little/) [Roberto Alomar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-alomar/) > [I don't really classify myself as a scorer. I'm a ballplayer; I'm a playmaker. I like to set people up and make the game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-george/i-don-t-really-classify-myself-as-a-scorer-i-m-a-ballplayer-i-m-a/) [Paul George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-george/) > [“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/) > [The only real happiness a ballplayer has is when he is playing a ball game and accomplishes something he didn't think he could do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ring-lardner/the-only-real-happiness-a-ballplayer-has-is-when-he-is-playing-a-ball/) [Ring Lardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ring-lardner/) > [I thought I raised a ballplayer. You're nothing but a coward and a quitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/i-thought-i-raised-a-ballplayer-you-re-nothing-but-a-coward-and-a/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [A pitcher is not a ballplayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-mathewson/a-pitcher-is-not-a-ballplayer/) [Christy Mathewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-mathewson/) > [Any ballplayer that don't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American. He's a communist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rogers-hornsby/any-ballplayer-that-don-t-sign-autographs-for-little-kids-ain-t-an/) [Rogers Hornsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rogers-hornsby/) > [My father never saw me play ball, and I was an outstanding ballplayer. I missed all that adoration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-aiello/my-father-never-saw-me-play-ball-and-i-was-an-outstanding-ballplayer/) [Danny Aiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-aiello/) Browse all 70 Ballplayer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Roger Maris was as good a man and as good a ballplayer as there ever was.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mickey Mantle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-good-a-ballplayer-as-there-ever/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ballplayer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-good-a-ballplayer-as-there-ever/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/mickey-mantle-3879_roger_roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-goo_1016401.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/mickey-mantle-3879_roger_roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-goo_1016401.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/mickey-mantle-3879_roger_roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-goo_1016401.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Roger Maris was as good a man and as good a ballplayer as there ever was.” — Mickey Mantle", "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": "Mickey Mantle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Roger Maris was as good a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-good-a-ballplayer-as-there-ever/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/roger-maris-was-as-good-a-man-and-as-good-a-ballplayer-as-there-ever/#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 } } ] } ```