---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Playing baseball for a living is like…"
description: "\"Playing baseball for a living is like having a license to steal.\" — Pete Rose"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24f/pete-rose-3178_baseball_playing-baseball-for-a-living-is-like-ha_1365067.png"
---

#  Playing baseball for a living is like having a license to…

![“Playing baseball for a living is like having a license to steal.” quote by Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24f/pete-rose-3178_baseball_playing-baseball-for-a-living-is-like-ha_1365067.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24f/pete-rose-3178_baseball_playing-baseball-for-a-living-is-like-ha_1365067.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24f/pete-rose-3178_baseball_playing-baseball-for-a-living-is-like-ha_1365067.png)

> “Playing baseball for a living is like having a license to steal.”

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Playing baseball professionally is akin to sanctioned theft, exploiting loopholes for profit.

**In simple terms:** Baseball is like legal stealing.

Key Takeaway

Question ethical boundaries.

Themes

sports ethics exploitation

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

sports philosophical

When to use this quote

- contract negotiations
- endorsement deals
- game strategy

Key Concepts

fair play morality competition

Questions to Reflect On

- Is the analogy fair?
- Where do you draw the line?

A Different Perspective

Not all games are exploitative.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Playing baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-baseball/)

## Related quotes

> [Judges,lawyers an politicians have a license to steal.We don't need one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-gambino/judges-lawyers-an-politicians-have-a-license-to-steal-we-don-t-need/)

Carlo Gambino

> [Even in those years when we were losing, it's playing baseball for a living and having a good time. I learned a lot from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/even-in-those-years-when-we-were-losing-it-s-playing-baseball-for-a/)

[Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/)

> [You gotta be a man to play baseball for a living, but you gotta have a lot of little boy in you, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-campanella/you-gotta-be-a-man-to-play-baseball-for-a-living-but-you-gotta-have-a/)

[Roy Campanella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-campanella/)

> [How can you not have fun going around the country playing baseball for a living? Being a baseball player is the next best thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-giambi/how-can-you-not-have-fun-going-around-the-country-playing-baseball/)

[Jason Giambi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-giambi/)

> [“You give a guy a license to steal, you've got to expect him to use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/you-give-a-guy-a-license-to-steal-you-ve-got-to-expect-him-to-use-it/)

[Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/)

> [Looking so cool, his greed is hard to conceal, he's fresh out of law school, you gave him a license to steal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/looking-so-cool-his-greed-is-hard-to-conceal-he-s-fresh-out-of-law/)

[Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/)

> [I was being paid to do what I loved, and there's no gig on earth better than that; it's like a license to steal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-was-being-paid-to-do-what-i-loved-and-there-s-no-gig-on-earth/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [What a blessing it is to throw a baseball for a living!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-kershaw/what-a-blessing-it-is-to-throw-a-baseball-for-a-living/)

[Clayton Kershaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-kershaw/)

> [I'm just a normal kid who lives to play baseball. I'm living my dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-wood/i-m-just-a-normal-kid-who-lives-to-play-baseball-i-m-living-my-dream/)

[Kerry Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-wood/)

> [Everyone always says, 'Don't take it for granted.' I don't think we do take it for granted, but sometimes you get caught up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/everyone-always-says-don-t-take-it-for-granted-i-don-t-think-we-do/)

[Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/)

> [You have to have a lot of little boy in you to play baseball for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-campanella/you-have-to-have-a-lot-of-little-boy-in-you-to-play-baseball-for-a/)

[Roy Campanella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-campanella/)

> [You want to impact your community, not just in terms of playing baseball, but you can give people a little bit of an inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/you-want-to-impact-your-community-not-just-in-terms-of-playing/)

[Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/)

> [Pro-rated at 500 at-bats a year that means that for two years out of the fourteen I played, I never even touched the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-cash/pro-rated-at-500-at-bats-a-year-that-means-that-for-two-years-out-of/)

Norm Cash

> [Back in East St. Louis, tennis wasn't the real thing. If you weren't playing baseball, basketball, football, you were kind of on the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/back-in-east-st-louis-tennis-wasn-t-the-real-thing-if-you-weren-t/)

[Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/)

> [Playing baseball is not real life. It's a fantasy world... It's a dream come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-murphy/playing-baseball-is-not-real-life-it-s-a-fantasy-world-it-s-a-dream/)

[Dale Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-murphy/)

## More by Pete Rose

> [The game of baseball is better when the Dodgers are playing well, just like when the Yankees are playing well, or the Cubs, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/the-game-of-baseball-is-better-when-the-dodgers-are-playing-well-just/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [Never bet on baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/never-bet-on-baseball/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [The only way I can't hit .300 is if there's something physically wrong with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/the-only-way-i-can-t-hit-300-is-if-there-s-something-physically-wrong/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [You know what God told the Cubs? Don't do anything until I come back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/you-know-what-god-told-the-cubs-don-t-do-anything-until-i-come-back/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [I am grateful that I live in a nation where most believe that one's punishment should fit their wrongdoing and that ours is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-am-grateful-that-i-live-in-a-nation-where-most-believe-that-one-s/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [When people think of me, they think about me knocking catchers down and knocking second basemen down and yelling at pitchers. But when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/when-people-think-of-me-they-think-about-me-knocking-catchers-down/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [I made mistakes. I can’t whine about it. I’m the one that messed up and I’m paying the consequences. However, if I am given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-made-mistakes-i-can-t-whine-about-it-i-m-the-one-that-messed-up-and/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [With the money I'm making, I should be playing two positions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/with-the-money-i-m-making-i-should-be-playing-two-positions/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [I've got a 15-year old son and a 10-year old daughter, and if they were going to do one of the following things: be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-ve-got-a-15-year-old-son-and-a-10-year-old-daughter-and-if-they/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [Somebody's gotta win and somebody's gotta lose and I believe in letting the other guy lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/somebody-s-gotta-win-and-somebody-s-gotta-lose-and-i-believe-in/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [Obama's a great speaker. Because of his speaking ability and his appearance, a lot of guys got on board. Being the first African American,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/obama-s-a-great-speaker-because-of-his-speaking-ability-and-his/)

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> [I bet on my team to win every night because I love my team; I believe in my team. I did everything in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-bet-on-my-team-to-win-every-night-because-i-love-my-team-i-believe/)

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> [I played with 11 Hall of Famers and played against 52 Hall of Famers, and I don't know any of them linked to steroids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-played-with-11-hall-of-famers-and-played-against-52-hall-of-famers/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [I would think if someone connected to steroids made the Hall of Fame, that would enhance my chances of making the Hall of Fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-would-think-if-someone-connected-to-steroids-made-the-hall-of-fame/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

> [My father taught me that the only way you can make good at anything is to practice, and then practice some more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/my-father-taught-me-that-the-only-way-you-can-make-good-at-anything/)

[Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

[Explore all 137 Pete Rose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/)

## 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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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/)

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