--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was always small. I was a leadoff…" description: "\"I was always small. I was a leadoff hitter growing up, until I was 13 or 14 years old and had a little growth spurt and started hitting home runs.\" — R..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/ryan-braun-62016_baseball_i-was-always-small-i-was-a-leadoff-hitte_2318040.png" --- # I was always small. I was a leadoff hitter growing up… ![“I was always small. I was a leadoff hitter growing up, until I was 13 or 14 years old and had a little growth spurt and started hitting home runs.” quote by Ryan Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/ryan-braun-62016_baseball_i-was-always-small-i-was-a-leadoff-hitte_2318040.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/ryan-braun-62016_baseball_i-was-always-small-i-was-a-leadoff-hitte_2318040.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/ryan-braun-62016_baseball_i-was-always-small-i-was-a-leadoff-hitte_2318040.png) > “I was always small. I was a leadoff hitter growing up, until I was 13 or 14 years old and had a little growth spurt and started hitting home runs.” [Ryan Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-braun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He grew from a small player to a powerful hitter after a growth spurt, illustrating how physical changes can boost confidence and performance. **In simple terms:** Physical growth can transform ability. Key Takeaway Embrace change for improvement. Themes growth confidence performance sports Mood inspirational motivational Type sports personal development When to use this quote - youth sports - career milestones - training programs Key Concepts development self‑belief athletics Questions to Reflect On - What habits supported his improvement? - How can others adapt to sudden changes? A Different Perspective Physical changes alone don’t guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Hitting home runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitting-home-runs/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-run/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [I learned the hard way. When I started hitting home runs, I thought, I can hit these pitches. Then I started thinking, if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-delgado/i-learned-the-hard-way-when-i-started-hitting-home-runs-i-thought-i/) [Carlos Delgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-delgado/) > [The biggest takeaway for anyone seeking to write is this: don't go looking for the way other authors do their work. You won't find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-biggest-takeaway-for-anyone-seeking-to-write-is-this-don-t-go/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [ \[On Willie Mays\] He was something like zero for twenty-one the first time I saw him. His first major league hit was a home… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-spahn/on-willie-mays-he-was-something-like-zero-for-twenty-one-the-first/) [Warren Spahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-spahn/) > [I swing big, with everything I've got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/i-swing-big-with-everything-i-ve-got-i-hit-big-or-i-miss-big-i-like/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [We should not anticipate that every time countries come together that we are doing some revolutionary thing. Instead of hitting home runs, sometimes we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-not-anticipate-that-every-time-countries-come-together-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What do I think about when I strike out? I think about hitting home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/what-do-i-think-about-when-i-strike-out-i-think-about-hitting-home/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [It isn't that hard to get RBI's when you're hitting home runs, you generally get a least one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-schmidt/it-isn-t-that-hard-to-get-rbi-s-when-you-re-hitting-home-runs-you/) [Mike Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-schmidt/) > [How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball... The harder you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/how-to-hit-home-runs-i-swing-as-hard-as-i-can-and-i-try-to-swing/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [I only have one superstition: I make sure to touch all the bases when I hit a home run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/i-only-have-one-superstition-i-make-sure-to-touch-all-the-bases-when/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [As a first baseman, hitting home runs is what's expected of me. But I don't really try to hit home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/as-a-first-baseman-hitting-home-runs-is-what-s-expected-of-me-but-i/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [When I was growing up, there were 13 children - it was different times then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakin-stevens/when-i-was-growing-up-there-were-13-children-it-was-different-times/) [Shakin' Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakin-stevens/) > [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/) > [I would never do it because if I took steroids, I would hit 60 or 70 home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-braun/i-would-never-do-it-because-if-i-took-steroids-i-would-hit-60-or-70/) [Ryan Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-braun/) > [Once I got to high school and hit my growth spurt, nobody really messed with me anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-brown/once-i-got-to-high-school-and-hit-my-growth-spurt-nobody-really/) [Kane Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-brown/) > [I think sometimes when you can feel the velocity of change, like nowadays, you really need a seat belt. It's almost like having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-paulson/i-think-sometimes-when-you-can-feel-the-velocity-of-change-like/) [Sarah Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-paulson/) ## More by Ryan Braun > [I'll just let my work speak for itself, as every artist should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-braun/i-ll-just-let-my-work-speak-for-itself-as-every-artist-should/) [Ryan Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-braun/) > [The fans appreciate the success the young guys are having now because they know the game is clean, that they've finally got rid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-braun/the-fans-appreciate-the-success-the-young-guys-are-having-now-because/) [Ryan Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-braun/) > [I would never do it because if I took steroids, I would hit 60 or 70 home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-braun/i-would-never-do-it-because-if-i-took-steroids-i-would-hit-60-or-70/) [Ryan Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-braun/) > [I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-braun/i-realize-now-that-i-have-made-some-mistakes-i-am-willing-to-accept/) [Ryan Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-braun/) [Explore all 5 Ryan Braun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-braun/) ## More Baseball quotes > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. 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