--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We used to look at each other and say…" description: "\"We used to look at each other and say, 'We play the same game with the same rules, the same bat, the same ball, the same field. What the hell does colo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/monte-irvin-26420_ball_we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we_1127096.jpg" --- # We used to look at each other and say, 'We play the same… ![“We used to look at each other and say, 'We play the same game with the same rules, the same bat, the same ball, the same field. What the hell does color have to do with it? You don't play with color. You play with talent.'” quote by Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/monte-irvin-26420_ball_we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we_1127096.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/monte-irvin-26420_ball_we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we_1127096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/monte-irvin-26420_ball_we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we_1127096.jpg) > “We used to look at each other and say, 'We play the same game with the same rules, the same bat, the same ball, the same field. What the hell does color have to do with it? You don't play with color. You play with talent.'” [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Skill and effort, not superficial differences, determine success in competition. **In simple terms:** Talent beats color. Key Takeaway Focus on developing skill, not superficial Mood inspirational thought‑provoking Type sports philosophical When to use this quote - talent - hard work - fair play Key Concepts equality meritocracy sportsmanship Practical Applications - team sports - coaching sessions - talent scouting Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure fairness in evaluation? - What role does effort play in overcoming stereotypes? A Different Perspective Overlooking systemic biases can be naive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [Another thing that you really do when you play, that you're supposed to do, is colors. You know, you cannot play with one color.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/itzhak-perlman/another-thing-that-you-really-do-when-you-play-that-you-re-supposed/) [Itzhak Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/itzhak-perlman/) > [We wanted to do an early 90's R&B song. I think it was Jorma who said, 'What about giving a gift where you take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-samberg/we-wanted-to-do-an-early-90-s-r-b-song-i-think-it-was-jorma-who-said/) [Andy Samberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-samberg/) > [There are still courses in the United States that I am not allowed to play because of the color of my skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/there-are-still-courses-in-the-united-states-that-i-am-not-allowed-to/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [I saw Cheap Trick play 'In Color,' and it was awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-alexakis/i-saw-cheap-trick-play-in-color-and-it-was-awesome/) [Art Alexakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-alexakis/) > [I try to avoid wearing black because sometimes it's the easy option. But I'm young, so it's nice to be able to play with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-try-to-avoid-wearing-black-because-sometimes-it-s-the-easy-option/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [I wanted to create my own world, a world full of color, where everyone could play. One big party that never ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-alig/i-wanted-to-create-my-own-world-a-world-full-of-color-where-everyone/) Michael Alig > [I see myself as no color. I can play the role of a man. I can paint my face white if I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/i-see-myself-as-no-color-i-can-play-the-role-of-a-man-i-can-paint-my-2/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [Color will play no part in the art of future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunter-brus/color-will-play-no-part-in-the-art-of-future/) [Gunter Brus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunter-brus/) > [I see myself as no color. I can play the role of a man. I can paint my face white if I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/i-see-myself-as-no-color-i-can-play-the-role-of-a-man-i-can-paint-my/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [Life is not a game, But rules are the same, Means lose or win And connot repeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-serdyuk/life-is-not-a-game-but-rules-are-the-same-means-lose-or-win-and/) Roxanne Serdyuk > [If love is a game, it has to be the hardest game in the world. After all, how can anyone win a game when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-love-is-a-game-it-has-to-be-the-hardest-game-in-the-world-after/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a note, I never once refer to 'Train' as a game in the rules, and I also never refer to the participants as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-brathwaite/as-a-note-i-never-once-refer-to-train-as-a-game-in-the-rules-and-i/) [Brenda Brathwaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-brathwaite/) > [Everybody's playing the game but nobody's rules are the same... Never make a promise or plan. Take a little love where you can... Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/everybody-s-playing-the-game-but-nobody-s-rules-are-the-same-never/) [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) > [No one is above the game or the rules that govern it. Respect for the game and the people who participate in it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-goodell/no-one-is-above-the-game-or-the-rules-that-govern-it-respect-for-the/) [Roger Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-goodell/) > [A curse on this game. How can you stick at a game when the rules keep on changing? I shall call myself Alice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/a-curse-on-this-game-how-can-you-stick-at-a-game-when-the-rules-keep/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## More by Monte Irvin > [Willie Wells, Ray Dandridge, Leon Day, Buck Leonard, Quincy Troupe, Satchel Paige - earlier than when he was called up - Oscar Charleston and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/willie-wells-ray-dandridge-leon-day-buck-leonard-quincy-troupe/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [Everyone says we have our first African American president. Has there ever been a Jewish president? An Italian president? They don't say a damn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/everyone-says-we-have-our-first-african-american-president-has-there/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [I was all-state in four sports in New Jersey, but sometimes I couldn't get served at a restaurant two blocks from my high school.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/i-was-all-state-in-four-sports-in-new-jersey-but-sometimes-i-couldn-t/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [My mother was a Bible student, and when I was a youngster, both my mother and father would say, 'If people would only live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/my-mother-was-a-bible-student-and-when-i-was-a-youngster-both-my/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [I always felt that I had a mission in life. I thought I was born to play sports. Even now, I still feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/i-always-felt-that-i-had-a-mission-in-life-i-thought-i-was-born-to/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [Early in life I learned, just through observation, that right always wins out over wrong. If a person has good intentions in his heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/early-in-life-i-learned-just-through-observation-that-right-always/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [I played for Almendares in Cuba. Guess who was trying out for the team? Castro. Fidel Castro, as a pitcher. He could throw pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/i-played-for-almendares-in-cuba-guess-who-was-trying-out-for-the-team/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [For me, there was nothing like my time with the Eagles - ever. We were young, and the world was new to us. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/for-me-there-was-nothing-like-my-time-with-the-eagles-ever-we-were/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [Many of the greatest black athletes of all time played baseball for no money and no recognition. I'm just sorry many major league fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/many-of-the-greatest-black-athletes-of-all-time-played-baseball-for/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [It was in 1942 and I flew from St. Louis to Mexico City. I had just gotten married and we were on our honeymoon.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/it-was-in-1942-and-i-flew-from-st-louis-to-mexico-city-i-had-just/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [The reason we had an all-black outfield in '51 is Don Mueller got hurt, so Hank Thompson was a legitimate replacement. So what? People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/the-reason-we-had-an-all-black-outfield-in-51-is-don-mueller-got-hurt/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [Oscar Charleston was the Willie Mays of his day. Nobody ever played center field better than Willie Mays. Suppose they had never given Willie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/oscar-charleston-was-the-willie-mays-of-his-day-nobody-ever-played/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [I'm a forgiver. I might not forget, but I forgive. My mother, father and older brother always told me: 'Don't hold grudges. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/i-m-a-forgiver-i-might-not-forget-but-i-forgive-my-mother-father-and/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [I played with Willie Mays and against Hank Aaron. They were tremendous players, but they were no Josh Gibson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/i-played-with-willie-mays-and-against-hank-aaron-they-were-tremendous/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [Baseball has done more to move America in the right direction than all of the professional patriots with all their cheap words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/baseball-has-done-more-to-move-america-in-the-right-direction-than/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) [Explore all 21 Monte Irvin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) ## More Ball quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [Sometimes in midfield, it's nice because you do get a little bit more of the ball, and maybe out wide you rely on people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-oxlade-chamberlain/sometimes-in-midfield-it-s-nice-because-you-do-get-a-little-bit-more/) [Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-oxlade-chamberlain/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [After '8 Mile' came out and blew up, the ball has been rolling ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-benson-miller/after-8-mile-came-out-and-blew-up-the-ball-has-been-rolling-ever-since/) [Omar Benson Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-benson-miller/) > [I don't believe in moral victories. I don't think in pro ball they exist, and they shouldn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-witten/i-don-t-believe-in-moral-victories-i-don-t-think-in-pro-ball-they/) [Jason Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-witten/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [In Memphis we don't talk. We ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-conley-jr/in-memphis-we-don-t-talk-we-ball/) [Mike Conley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-conley-jr/) > [Football is not just all about throwing the ball. You got to run the ball, too. Defense has to be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-jefferson/football-is-not-just-all-about-throwing-the-ball-you-got-to-run-the/) [Justin Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-jefferson/) > [I'm good with the ball, I can score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-bergwijn/i-m-good-with-the-ball-i-can-score/) [Steven Bergwijn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-bergwijn/) > [The golf ball doesn't care about know how hard you're working, or how many hours you slept that night. It only matters, what speed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/the-golf-ball-doesn-t-care-about-know-how-hard-you-re-working-or-how/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [Throwing a ball is not natural, whether it's overhand or underhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/throwing-a-ball-is-not-natural-whether-it-s-overhand-or-underhand/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I have to chase down the most scientifically efficient way to get the golf ball in the hole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryson-dechambeau/i-have-to-chase-down-the-most-scientifically-efficient-way-to-get-the/) [Bryson DeChambeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryson-dechambeau/) > [I dislike the gym, but I'll chase a tennis ball all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-kuchar/i-dislike-the-gym-but-i-ll-chase-a-tennis-ball-all-day/) [Matt Kuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-kuchar/) > [There's one ball on the field, and that ball is mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-mendoza/there-s-one-ball-on-the-field-and-that-ball-is-mine/) Salvador Mendoza Browse all 1,822 Ball quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We used to look at each other and say, 'We play the same game with the same rules, the same bat, the same ball, the same field. What the hell does color have to do with it? You don't play with color. You play with talent.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Monte Irvin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we-play-the-same-game-with-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we-play-the-same-game-with-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/monte-irvin-26420_ball_we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we_1127096.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/monte-irvin-26420_ball_we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we_1127096.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/monte-irvin-26420_ball_we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we_1127096.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We used to look at each other and say, 'We play the same game with the same rules, the same bat, the same…” — Monte Irvin", "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": "Monte Irvin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We used to look at each...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we-play-the-same-game-with-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/we-used-to-look-at-each-other-and-say-we-play-the-same-game-with-the/#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 } } ] } ```