--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Knuckleballers don't keep secrets. It's…" description: "\"“Knuckleballers don't keep secrets. It's as if we have a greater mission beyond our own fortunes. And that mission is to pass it on, to keep the pitch ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/r-a-dickey-24700_baseball_knuckleballers-don-t-keep-secrets-it-s-a_3202014.png" --- # Knuckleballers don't keep secrets. It's as if we have a… ![“Knuckleballers don't keep secrets. It's as if we have a greater mission beyond our own fortunes. And that mission is to pass it on, to keep the pitch alive. Maybe that's because we are so different, and the pitch is do different, but I think it has more to do with the fact that this is a pitch…” quote by R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/r-a-dickey-24700_baseball_knuckleballers-don-t-keep-secrets-it-s-a_3202014.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/r-a-dickey-24700_baseball_knuckleballers-don-t-keep-secrets-it-s-a_3202014.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/r-a-dickey-24700_baseball_knuckleballers-don-t-keep-secrets-it-s-a_3202014.png) > ““Knuckleballers don't keep secrets. It's as if we have a greater mission beyond our own fortunes. And that mission is to pass it on, to keep the pitch alive. Maybe that's because we are so different, and the pitch is do different, but I think it has more to do with the fact that this is a pitch that almost all of us turn to in desperation. It is what enables us to keep pitching stay in the big leagues, when everything else has failed. So we feel gratitude toward the pitch. It becomes way more than just a means to get and out. It becomes a way of life.”” [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pitchers view baseball as a mission, sharing knowledge to sustain the game and find purpose beyond personal success. **In simple terms:** Pitching is a shared purpose beyond self. Key Takeaway Support and mentor others in your field. Themes teamwork legacy purpose Mood determined grateful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - coaching clinics - player development - community leagues - career transitions Key Concepts Mentorship sports culture Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal ambition with collective responsibility? - What rituals keep your passion alive? A Different Perspective The pitch can become a burden if over‑identifying with it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Pitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pitch/) [Way of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [The way I pitch is the way I pitch. I'm not going to change my overall philosophy. I'll just go out and pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-prior/the-way-i-pitch-is-the-way-i-pitch-i-m-not-going-to-change-my-overall/) [Mark Prior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-prior/) > [I think that's one of the things you start learning from being hot and playing every day at the beginning, you know. The league,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-martinez/i-think-that-s-one-of-the-things-you-start-learning-from-being-hot/) [J. D. Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-martinez/) > [There's nothing wrong with pitch counts. But not when it's spit out by a computer, and the computer does not look at an individual's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-seaver/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-pitch-counts-but-not-when-it-s-spit-out-by/) [Tom Seaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-seaver/) > [I didn't do it (pitch like he did) for show. I did it to get batters out. Players would tell me, 'We can't tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-tiant/i-didn-t-do-it-pitch-like-he-did-for-show-i-did-it-to-get-batters-out/) [Luis Tiant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-tiant/) > [Show me a guy who can't pitch inside and I'll show you a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-koufax/show-me-a-guy-who-can-t-pitch-inside-and-i-ll-show-you-a-loser/) [Sandy Koufax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-koufax/) > [The game can come down to one pitch. But when you're actually out there on the mound and when you're pitching, you can't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-scherzer/the-game-can-come-down-to-one-pitch-but-when-you-re-actually-out/) [Max Scherzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-scherzer/) > [I would rather beat the Yankees regularly than pitch a no hit game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-feller/i-would-rather-beat-the-yankees-regularly-than-pitch-a-no-hit-game/) [Bob Feller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-feller/) > [The fastball is the best pitch in baseball. It's like having five pitches, if you move it around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-tiant/the-fastball-is-the-best-pitch-in-baseball-it-s-like-having-five/) [Luis Tiant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-tiant/) > [A lot of times, I've always looked at pitching in the All-Star Game as a prelude to how you pitch in the postseason, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-scherzer/a-lot-of-times-i-ve-always-looked-at-pitching-in-the-all-star-game-as/) [Max Scherzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-scherzer/) > [Pitch tip: Speak confidently about your product, but be able to admit when you need more information, and get it to the people you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/pitch-tip-speak-confidently-about-your-product-but-be-able-to-admit/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Pitching in the Olympic Games, Pan Am Games and Central American games prepared me to pitch at the big-league level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-contreras/pitching-in-the-olympic-games-pan-am-games-and-central-american-games/) [Jose Contreras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-contreras/) > [If you're pitching to investors for the first time and expecting them to be so blown away by how thoroughly amazing your pitch is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cohen/if-you-re-pitching-to-investors-for-the-first-time-and-expecting-them/) [David Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cohen/) > [When an artist wants to paint a painting, they have all those things in their head that they want to portray on a canvas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-verlander/when-an-artist-wants-to-paint-a-painting-they-have-all-those-things/) [Justin Verlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-verlander/) > [I would like to be a great artist. I would quit pitching if I could paint like Monet or Rousseau. But I cant. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-seaver/i-would-like-to-be-a-great-artist-i-would-quit-pitching-if-i-could/) [Tom Seaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-seaver/) > [The art of acting is to pitch good. You do the pitching and hope that the other person catches the ball and does some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyne-daly/the-art-of-acting-is-to-pitch-good-you-do-the-pitching-and-hope-that/) [Tyne Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyne-daly/) ## More by R.A. Dickey > [I had a lot of fear that would motivate me to try to work hard, because I didn't know what I would do if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-had-a-lot-of-fear-that-would-motivate-me-to-try-to-work-hard/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [Ultimately, our lives hinge on the ability to make right choices and decisions. By God's grace, I made the most important decision a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/ultimately-our-lives-hinge-on-the-ability-to-make-right-choices-and/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [“One of the supreme paradoxes of baseball, and all sports, is that the harder you try to throw a pitch or hit a ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/one-of-the-supreme-paradoxes-of-baseball-and-all-sports-is-that-the/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [The more I grew as a human being, the better I became at my craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/the-more-i-grew-as-a-human-being-the-better-i-became-at-my-craft/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [I could never get a real good clear picture of what I could become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-could-never-get-a-real-good-clear-picture-of-what-i-could-become/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [I think what motivated me was just hope. Something inside of me, deep down in my guts, always felt like there was something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-think-what-motivated-me-was-just-hope-something-inside-of-me-deep/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [You never go into a season thinking you're going to strike out 200 guys or that you would have the most double-digit strikeout games…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/you-never-go-into-a-season-thinking-you-re-going-to-strike-out-200/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [The # knuckleball can be a metaphor of what it's like to let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/the-knuckleball-can-be-a-metaphor-of-what-it-s-like-to-let-go/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [I don't really feel much more confident than I did the last couple years. I've always felt like I have a pretty good knuckleball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-don-t-really-feel-much-more-confident-than-i-did-the-last-couple/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [Who doesn’t want a Cy Young Award? What kid didn’t grow up wanting to be the best? I’m no different. I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/who-doesn-t-want-a-cy-young-award-what-kid-didn-t-grow-up-wanting-to/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [Realistically, I shouldn't be able to turn a doorknob without having some discomfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/realistically-i-shouldn-t-be-able-to-turn-a-doorknob-without-having/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [It's a pitch you can extend your career with because it's less taxing on your body. It's like dog years, but in reverse. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/it-s-a-pitch-you-can-extend-your-career-with-because-it-s-less-taxing/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [If you aren't willing to face your demons-if you can't find the courage to take on your fear and hurt and anger-you might as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/if-you-aren-t-willing-to-face-your-demons-if-you-can-t-find-the/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [I had a wife that did not want me to have a singular regret about chasing my dream, which helped me tremendously. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-had-a-wife-that-did-not-want-me-to-have-a-singular-regret-about/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [There's been this steady metamorphosis from just surviving to being a craftsman and, ultimately, the hope is to be an artist in what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/there-s-been-this-steady-metamorphosis-from-just-surviving-to-being-a/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) [Explore all 24 R.A. Dickey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) ## 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. 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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": "“Knuckleballers don't keep secrets. It's as if we have a greater mission beyond our own fortunes. And that mission is to pass it on, to keep the pitch alive. Maybe that's because we are so different, and the pitch is do different, but I think it has more to do with the fact that this is a pitch that almost all of us turn to in desperation. 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