Baseball Quote by Whitey Herzog
![“One time in spring training, we had the hit-and-run on, and Carl Erskine threw me a curve and I struck out into a double play. I came back to the bench and Casey [Stengel] said, 'next time, tra-la-la.' I didn't know what tra-la-la meant, but next time up, I hit a line drive, right into a double…” quote by Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/98d/whitey-herzog-28696_benches_one-time-in-spring-training-we-had-the-h_818599.jpg)
“One time in spring training, we had the hit-and-run on, and Carl Erskine threw me a curve and I struck out into a double play. I came back to the bench and Casey [Stengel] said, 'next time, tra-la-la.' I didn't know what tra-la-la meant, but next time up, I hit a line drive, right into a double play. When I sat down, Casey came over and said, 'Like I told you, tra-la-la.'”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Baseball Hall of Fame oral history, 1995
A coach used a playful phrase to motivate a player, who then proved the advice right by succeeding later.
In simple terms: Coach used humor to inspire performance.
Key Takeaway
Embrace encouragement and keep trying.
Themes
sports
motivation
humor
Mood
encouraging
lighthearted
Type
sports anecdote
motivational
When to use this quote
- baseball games
- training sessions
- performance pressure
Key Concepts
coach-player dynamics
confidence building
Questions to Reflect On
- How does playful teasing affect confidence?
- When is serious feedback better?
A Different Perspective
Humor may not work for everyone; context matters.
![“There is no second baseman in the game who can turn the double play better [than Mark Lemke]. Why are people always looking for offense at that position? What's more important is getting outs, and turning the double is a huge factor in getting outs.” quote by Tom Glavine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/911/tom-glavine-21376_factors_there-is-no-second-baseman-in-the-game-w_1182702.jpg)
