--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe very strongly - and I never…" description: "\"I believe very strongly - and I never brought this up as a player - but I put up, I feel, Hall of Fame numbers with diabetes. If I didn't have diabetes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/ron-santo-32657_about_i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brou_1316205.png" --- # I believe very strongly - and I never brought this up as a… ![“I believe very strongly - and I never brought this up as a player - but I put up, I feel, Hall of Fame numbers with diabetes. If I didn't have diabetes - nobody realizes that, when I was diagnosed at 18, even the doctors didn't know what to do about diabetes.” quote by Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/ron-santo-32657_about_i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brou_1316205.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/ron-santo-32657_about_i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brou_1316205.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/ron-santo-32657_about_i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brou_1316205.png) > “I believe very strongly - and I never brought this up as a player - but I put up, I feel, Hall of Fame numbers with diabetes. If I didn't have diabetes - nobody realizes that, when I was diagnosed at 18, even the doctors didn't know what to do about diabetes.” [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He achieved Hall of Fame level performance despite living with diabetes, a condition often misunderstood. **In simple terms:** He succeeded despite diabetes. Key Takeaway Recognize personal challenges as part of your story. Themes perseverance health sports legacy Mood determined reflective Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - professional sports - medical advocacy - personal memoirs Key Concepts chronic illness athletic achievement stigma Questions to Reflect On - How did diabetes shape your approach to training? - What support could improve athletes with chronic conditions? A Different Perspective Diabetes management can limit performance without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diabetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diabetes/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Hall of fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hall-of-fame/) ## Related quotes > [I was a diabetic for 16 years, since I was 14. Being that I lost weight, no more diabetes. You don't have to lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fat-joe/i-was-a-diabetic-for-16-years-since-i-was-14-being-that-i-lost-weight/) [Fat Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fat-joe/) > [I've always had courage. But I didn't always own my diabetes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-ve-always-had-courage-but-i-didn-t-always-own-my-diabetes/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [ I fought Sugar \[Ray Robinson\] so many times that I'm lucky I didn't get diabetes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/i-fought-sugar-ray-robinson-so-many-times-that-i-m-lucky-i-didn-t-get/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [I've always been independent. I've always had courage. But I didn't always own my diabetes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-ve-always-been-independent-i-ve-always-had-courage-but-i-didn-t/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [I was diagnosed with diabetes at age 18. I didn't know what it was, so I went to the library and looked it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-was-diagnosed-with-diabetes-at-age-18-i-didn-t-know-what-it-was-so/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [When my sister was diagnosed with cancer in 1989, her doctor told her that the cancer had probably been in her system for 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/when-my-sister-was-diagnosed-with-cancer-in-1989-her-doctor-told-her/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I didn't know why I couldn't sing - all I knew was that it was muscular or mechanical. Then, when I was diagnosed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-didn-t-know-why-i-couldn-t-sing-all-i-knew-was-that-it-was-muscular/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [Being diagnosed with cancer really opened my eyes to the fact anyone can have it and that even though we think we have control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/being-diagnosed-with-cancer-really-opened-my-eyes-to-the-fact-anyone/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [The battle against cancer has made me strong. It's like winning a war! When I was diagnosed, I was told by doctors my kidney,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuvraj-singh/the-battle-against-cancer-has-made-me-strong-it-s-like-winning-a-war/) [Yuvraj Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuvraj-singh/) > [There are people who could watch a hurricane like Sandy blow out of the Atlantic every other day and blame it on anything but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-specter/there-are-people-who-could-watch-a-hurricane-like-sandy-blow-out-of/) [Michael Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-specter/) > [I was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as an adult, but I don't remember a time when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/i-was-diagnosed-with-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-add/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [At the time I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, my doctors told me that I had an incurable illness and they didn't know much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-mobley/at-the-time-i-was-diagnosed-with-crohn-s-disease-my-doctors-told-me/) [Mary Ann Mobley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-mobley/) > [What person doesn't search online about their disease after they are diagnosed?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/what-person-doesn-t-search-online-about-their-disease-after-they-are/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [I've diagnosed myself and discovered I have a limited 'life span' you can do this to. Then live life to its fullest in everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-ve-diagnosed-myself-and-discovered-i-have-a-limited-life-span-you/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [“I wonder if I’ve got any of the 374 mental disorders,” I thought. I opened the manual again. And I instantly diagnosed myself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/i-wonder-if-i-ve-got-any-of-the-374-mental-disorders-i-thought-i/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) ## More by Ron Santo > [I'm a Cubbie. I'll always be a Cubbie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-m-a-cubbie-i-ll-always-be-a-cubbie/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [I'm the perfect candidate to be affected by SARS. I'm highly susceptible to infections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-m-the-perfect-candidate-to-be-affected-by-sars-i-m-highly/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [Every player had a roommate for out-of-town games, so I had to slip into the bathroom early each morning and secretly take my insulin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/every-player-had-a-roommate-for-out-of-town-games-so-i-had-to-slip/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [I'm a Cub fan, and I sit up here and I know when we have a good team, I know when we're struggling, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-m-a-cub-fan-and-i-sit-up-here-and-i-know-when-we-have-a-good-team-i/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [I want to be a homer. I'm getting paid for something that I love to do. I would do it for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-want-to-be-a-homer-i-m-getting-paid-for-something-that-i-love-to-do/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [The last thing I ever thought would ever happen to me was losing my legs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/the-last-thing-i-ever-thought-would-ever-happen-to-me-was-losing-my/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [There are a lot of guys who are respected but not liked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/there-are-a-lot-of-guys-who-are-respected-but-not-liked/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [I've been a Cub all my life. I came up here when I was 20 years old and spent my whole career here in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-ve-been-a-cub-all-my-life-i-came-up-here-when-i-was-20-years-old/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [The last thing I want is to die and then be put into the Hall of Fame. It's not because I won't be there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/the-last-thing-i-want-is-to-die-and-then-be-put-into-the-hall-of-fame/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [I was diagnosed with diabetes at age 18. I didn't know what it was, so I went to the library and looked it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-was-diagnosed-with-diabetes-at-age-18-i-didn-t-know-what-it-was-so/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [I think I've inspired a lot of people, and I'm one, if I get a letter and someone's in serious shape, I'll call them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-think-i-ve-inspired-a-lot-of-people-and-i-m-one-if-i-get-a-letter/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [We're getting closer. I believe a 5-year-old with diabetes will live long enough to be cured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/we-re-getting-closer-i-believe-a-5-year-old-with-diabetes-will-live/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE TALENT IN THE WORLD, IT'S NOT GONNA GET YOU THROUGH... IT'S WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HEART.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/you-can-have-all-the-talent-in-the-world-it-s-not-gonna-get-you/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [Everything changes, money rules. In my era, if you were successful, you were going to make money, but you never worried about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/everything-changes-money-rules-in-my-era-if-you-were-successful-you/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) [Explore all 15 Ron Santo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [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/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe very strongly - and I never brought this up as a player - but I put up, I feel, Hall of Fame numbers with diabetes. If I didn't have diabetes - nobody realizes that, when I was diagnosed at 18, even the doctors didn't know what to do about diabetes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ron Santo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brought-this-up-as-a-player-but-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brought-this-up-as-a-player-but-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/ron-santo-32657_about_i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brou_1316205.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/ron-santo-32657_about_i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brou_1316205.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/ron-santo-32657_about_i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brou_1316205.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe very strongly - and I never brought this up as a player - but I put up, I feel, Hall of Fame…” — Ron Santo", "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": "Ron Santo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe very strongly - and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brought-this-up-as-a-player-but-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-believe-very-strongly-and-i-never-brought-this-up-as-a-player-but-i/#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 } } ] } ```