--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One time in spring training, we had the…" description: "\"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..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/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… ![“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/i/98d/whitey-herzog-28696_benches_one-time-in-spring-training-we-had-the-h_818599.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/whitey-herzog-28696_benches_one-time-in-spring-training-we-had-the-h_818599.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/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.'” [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Benches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benches/) [Curve Struck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curve-struck-353083/) [Curves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curves/) [Double Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double-play-353084/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [One time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-time/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Sat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sat/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Spring training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring-training/) [Struck Double](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struck-double-353082/) [Threw Curve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threw-curve-353086/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Told Tra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-tra-353085/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) ## Related quotes > [One curve I'll always remember was when I was pitching for Pittsburgh. Terry Kennedy was a young player with St. Louis. I threw him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-blyleven/one-curve-i-ll-always-remember-was-when-i-was-pitching-for-pittsburgh/) [Bert Blyleven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-blyleven/) > [I'm just trying to affect the game in some way whenever I get an opportunity. If that's stealing a base, making a catch, beating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/i-m-just-trying-to-affect-the-game-in-some-way-whenever-i-get-an/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [I hang in there all the time. I'm not afraid to be taken out. I think that's the biggest thing to do-just stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-pedroia/i-hang-in-there-all-the-time-i-m-not-afraid-to-be-taken-out-i-think/) [Dustin Pedroia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-pedroia/) > [I have heard of managers who encourage players not to slide hard for fear they will get hurt and be lost from the lineup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-robinson/i-have-heard-of-managers-who-encourage-players-not-to-slide-hard-for/) [Frank Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-robinson/) > [When I was a player and hit into a double play, I felt as if I was letting everyone down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/when-i-was-a-player-and-hit-into-a-double-play-i-felt-as-if-i-was/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [There's absolutely no way you can go barreling into second and dump a guy on a double play, like you should do, when you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-robinson/there-s-absolutely-no-way-you-can-go-barreling-into-second-and-dump-a/) [Frank Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-robinson/) > [You could have the bases loaded, and you bring up the best pinch-hitter in the world to pinch hit, he hits into a double…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/you-could-have-the-bases-loaded-and-you-bring-up-the-best-pinch/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [ There is no second baseman in the game who can turn the double play better \[than Mark Lemke\]. Why are people always looking for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-glavine/there-is-no-second-baseman-in-the-game-who-can-turn-the-double-play/) [Tom Glavine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-glavine/) > [I never think Im going to make a double play in the outfield. But I did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-soriano/i-never-think-im-going-to-make-a-double-play-in-the-outfield-but-i/) [Alfonso Soriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-soriano/) > [There was Shawon Dunston and Mark Grace, and together we were a double play combination for ten years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryne-sandberg/there-was-shawon-dunston-and-mark-grace-and-together-we-were-a-double/) [Ryne Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryne-sandberg/) > [The poet or storyteller who feels that he is competing with a superb double play in the World Series is a lost man. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/the-poet-or-storyteller-who-feels-that-he-is-competing-with-a-superb/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [Spring training is for getting to know your teammates and forming a chemistry. I dont like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torii-hunter/spring-training-is-for-getting-to-know-your-teammates-and-forming-a/) [Torii Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torii-hunter/) > [I come to spring training and just try to do my job, try to do the best I can. That's all any player can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-bautista/i-come-to-spring-training-and-just-try-to-do-my-job-try-to-do-the/) [Danny Bautista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-bautista/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [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/) ## More by Whitey Herzog > [You sweat out the free agent thing in November, then you make the trades in December. Then you struggle to sign the guys left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/you-sweat-out-the-free-agent-thing-in-november-then-you-make-the/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [If you don't have outstanding relief pitching, you might as well piss on the fire and call the dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/if-you-don-t-have-outstanding-relief-pitching-you-might-as-well-piss/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [The only way to make money as a manager is to win in one place, get fired and hired somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/the-only-way-to-make-money-as-a-manager-is-to-win-in-one-place-get/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [For being book smart, I thought he (A. Barlett Giamatti) had a lot of street smarts, which is tough to find sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/for-being-book-smart-i-thought-he-a-barlett-giamatti-had-a-lot-of/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [The way we have been playing, I might tell my players not to cross the picket line (umpire strike of 1979).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/the-way-we-have-been-playing-i-might-tell-my-players-not-to-cross-the/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [What counts aren't the number of double plays, but the ones you should have had and missed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/what-counts-aren-t-the-number-of-double-plays-but-the-ones-you-should/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [We need three kinds of pitching: left-handed, right-handed and relief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/we-need-three-kinds-of-pitching-left-handed-right-handed-and-relief/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [The only thing bad about winning the pennant is that you have to manage the All-Star Game the next year. I'd rather go fishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/the-only-thing-bad-about-winning-the-pennant-is-that-you-have-to/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [I'm not buddy-buddy with the players. If they need a buddy, let them buy a dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/i-m-not-buddy-buddy-with-the-players-if-they-need-a-buddy-let-them/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [I'd rather go fishing for three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/i-d-rather-go-fishing-for-three-years/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [The rules are changed now, there's not any way to build a team today. It's just how much money you want to spend. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/the-rules-are-changed-now-there-s-not-any-way-to-build-a-team-today/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/baseball-has-been-good-to-me-since-i-quit-trying-to-play-it/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [Some people asked me if I would be interested in managing the A's. I said a definite no thank you. At night, that place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/some-people-asked-me-if-i-would-be-interested-in-managing-the-a-s-i/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [The only thing bad about winning the pennant is that you have to manage the All-Star Game the next year. I'd rather go fishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/the-only-thing-bad-about-winning-the-pennant-is-that-you-have-to-2/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) > [We need just two players to be a contender. Babe Ruth and Sandy Koufax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-herzog/we-need-just-two-players-to-be-a-contender-babe-ruth-and-sandy-koufax/) [Whitey Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) [Explore all 19 Whitey Herzog quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-herzog/) ## 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. 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/) [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": "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. 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