---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ballplayers, like everyone else, like to…"
description: "\"Ballplayers, like everyone else, like to get told they did something right.\" — Willie McCovey"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/willie-mccovey-38254_did_ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-g_2742110.jpg"
---

#  Ballplayers, like everyone else, like to get told they did…

![“Ballplayers, like everyone else, like to get told they did something right.” quote by Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/willie-mccovey-38254_did_ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-g_2742110.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/willie-mccovey-38254_did_ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-g_2742110.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/willie-mccovey-38254_did_ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-g_2742110.jpg)

> “Ballplayers, like everyone else, like to get told they did something right.”

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Athletes, like everyone, crave affirmation for their achievements.

**In simple terms:** People need recognition.

Key Takeaway

Give sincere praise.

Themes

sports motivation psychology

Mood

encouraging supportive

Type

motivational practical

When to use this quote

- coaching
- leadership
- performance reviews
- player development

Key Concepts

positive reinforcement team dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How often should feedback be given?
- What forms of recognition are most effective?

A Different Perspective

Overpraise can breed complacency.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ballplayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballplayers-471266/) [Ballplayers Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballplayers-like-3034618/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Did Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-right/) [Else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/else/) [Everyone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyone/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Like Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-told-454948/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told/)

## Related quotes

> [“I’m glad there are organizations like Dale Murphy’s I Won’t Cheat Foundation. I’m glad there are athletes with standards and morals who kids can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-m-glad-there-are-organizations-like-dale-murphy-s-i-won-t-cheat/)

[Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/)

> [I do not like to be told what to do, but in the end, I take my own decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ileana-d-cruz/i-do-not-like-to-be-told-what-to-do-but-in-the-end-i-take-my-own/)

[Ileana D'Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ileana-d-cruz/)

> [“You know I don't like being told what to do. Then do without being told.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-smith/you-know-i-don-t-like-being-told-what-to-do-then-do-without-being-told/)

[Maureen Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-smith/)

> [I'll have another chance, I'll find another guy. I'll see another day and I'll build another world. I'll find another life just like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-chable/i-ll-have-another-chance-i-ll-find-another-guy-i-ll-see-another-day/)

[Ana Chable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-chable/)

> [I don't like being told what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-like-being-told-what-to-do/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I know what it's like to be told by your teacher that you'll never amount to anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/i-know-what-it-s-like-to-be-told-by-your-teacher-that-you-ll-never/)

[T.I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-i/)

> [He said that in a way being loved is like being told you never have to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-findley/he-said-that-in-a-way-being-loved-is-like-being-told-you-never-have/)

[Timothy Findley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-findley/)

> [I don't like being told what to do unless I'm naked !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leahh/i-don-t-like-being-told-what-to-do-unless-i-m-naked/)

[Leahh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leahh/)

> [“What is she like? I was told— she is a melancholy soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lang-leav/what-is-she-like-i-was-told-she-is-a-melancholy-soul/)

[Lang Leav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lang-leav/)

> [I don't like being told what to do, and I don't need to be told what my record should sound like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-iii/i-don-t-like-being-told-what-to-do-and-i-don-t-need-to-be-told-what/)

[Hank Williams III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-iii/)

> [I don't know if I am like her, but I am told that my eyes and my smile are like mom's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prateik-babbar/i-don-t-know-if-i-am-like-her-but-i-am-told-that-my-eyes-and-my-smile/)

[Prateik Babbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prateik-babbar/)

> [I don't like being told what you're good at. I'd rather hear what I didn't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-mitchell/i-don-t-like-being-told-what-you-re-good-at-i-d-rather-hear-what-i/)

[Donovan Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-mitchell/)

> [I just don't like being told what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-just-don-t-like-being-told-what-to-do/)

[Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/)

> [I had to find my own terms for success, and it wasn't anything like what I was told to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-johnson/i-had-to-find-my-own-terms-for-success-and-it-wasn-t-anything-like/)

[Peggy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-johnson/)

> [It's like I told you, "You're better off without me, I'm sick of saying sorry."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hinder/it-s-like-i-told-you-you-re-better-off-without-me-i-m-sick-of-saying/)

[Hinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hinder/)

## More by Willie McCovey

> [I loved coming up with players in scoring position and I had to drive them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/i-loved-coming-up-with-players-in-scoring-position-and-i-had-to-drive/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [I had talked for years about doing a restaurant with Rocky Dudum, who's been my friend since I first came to San Francisco. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/i-had-talked-for-years-about-doing-a-restaurant-with-rocky-dudum-who/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [I could run like a gazelle, couldn't I?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/i-could-run-like-a-gazelle-couldn-t-i/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [In my first year, when I was driving in runs, winning games and making headlines, there was an old man who came to games…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/in-my-first-year-when-i-was-driving-in-runs-winning-games-and-making/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [I had pain in both knees my whole career. Not many athletes play pain-free. Mine was just more than normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/i-had-pain-in-both-knees-my-whole-career-not-many-athletes-play-pain/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [I was doing what I love to do: play baseball. Not going to complain about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/i-was-doing-what-i-love-to-do-play-baseball-not-going-to-complain/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [Even during my career, when I read all those great things about me, it's almost like I was reading about someone else. It's almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/even-during-my-career-when-i-read-all-those-great-things-about-me-it/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [It doesn't seem like it's been 50 years. I don't even feel like I'm 50 years old yet, though I've had all these knee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/it-doesn-t-seem-like-it-s-been-50-years-i-don-t-even-feel-like-i-m-50/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [Winning is a serious matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/winning-is-a-serious-matter/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [I've always had a connection here in the city from the first day I arrived. I stayed in the city. I made San Francisco…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/i-ve-always-had-a-connection-here-in-the-city-from-the-first-day-i/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

> [I enjoyed hitting in the Major Leagues more than in the Minor Leagues. I didn't want to tell anybody it was easier, because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/i-enjoyed-hitting-in-the-major-leagues-more-than-in-the-minor-leagues/)

[Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

[Explore all 12 Willie McCovey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/)

## More Did quotes

> [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/)

[Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/)

[David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/)

> [Here we are 17 years later. Those agencies never did come through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/here-we-are-17-years-later-those-agencies-never-did-come-through/)

[Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/)

> [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/)

[Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/)

> [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/)

[Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/)

> [I am a big outliner. For my adult book, 'The Visibles,' I did not outline, and it took me two years to write because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-am-a-big-outliner-for-my-adult-book-the-visibles-i-did-not-outline/)

[Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/)

> [You didn't want to laugh, did you? It wasn't very funny, was it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-kennedy/you-didn-t-want-to-laugh-did-you-it-wasn-t-very-funny-was-it/)

[Graham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-kennedy/)

> [I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood and was raised by a man who did not emote, ever... I always cry at movies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/i-grew-up-in-a-blue-collar-neighborhood-and-was-raised-by-a-man-who/)

[Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/)

> [I met Tyler Perry and we did 'House of Payne' and a movie. We've done a couple other films since then, but it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-gross/i-met-tyler-perry-and-we-did-house-of-payne-and-a-movie-we-ve-done-a/)

[Lance Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-gross/)

> [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/)

[Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/)

> [I am excited to partner with Aeropostale for my very own collection. It was a great experience to be able to work with them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-mota/i-am-excited-to-partner-with-aeropostale-for-my-very-own-collection/)

[Bethany Mota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-mota/)

> [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/)

[Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/)

> [I turned to my mom and said, 'I'm going to be a martial arts movie star.' She didn't believe me, and neither did my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-turned-to-my-mom-and-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-martial-arts-movie-star/)

[Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/)

[Browse all 4,331 Did quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Ballplayers, like everyone else, like to get told they did something right.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Willie McCovey"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-get-told-they-did-something/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Did"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-get-told-they-did-something/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/willie-mccovey-38254_did_ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-g_2742110.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/willie-mccovey-38254_did_ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-g_2742110.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/willie-mccovey-38254_did_ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-g_2742110.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Ballplayers, like everyone else, like to get told they did something right.” — Willie McCovey",
                "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": "Willie McCovey",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Ballplayers, like everyone else, like to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-get-told-they-did-something/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/ballplayers-like-everyone-else-like-to-get-told-they-did-something/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
