Nothing’s impossible for Rickey. You don’t have enough fingers and toes to count out Rickey.
I wanted to be a part of something special and contributing to the launch of a new league was very exciting to me.
In baseball you train the whole body, except for the hip and eyes.
It’s always exciting that you can rub elbows with some of the greatest players who have ever played the game, and just being around the “family” again from baseball.
I love the game and I wanted to continue playing. It came to a time that I had to stop.
I can still steal a base anytime I get ready.
You never had the opportunity to play with some of the great ballplayers, but being that close around them, and being in the same category, was a great feeling, to feel that vibe of all the best players who played the game.
I have always had fun playing the game of baseball because I loved it so much.
If you look at some of the people in the Hall of Fame, my numbers are compatible.
Oakland is home, and you always want to go home. Anytime you get the chance, you’re happy to go home.
I’m disappointed about how my career ended.
I like playing for Oakland, they have a very colorful uniform.
Speeches and me don’t get along sometimes. It is kind of like putting a tie too tight on my neck. I’m going to do whatever feels right.
People always ask me why I still want to play, but I want to know why no one will give me an opportunity. It’s like they put a stamp on me: ‘Hall of Fame. You’re done. That’s it.’ It’s a goddamn shame.
I don’t think I could have dreamt it up any better than how things went, of being at my peak at just the right time, and have everything go my way.
My journey as a player is complete.
I’m a walking record.
I patterned myself after Reggie Jackson. I wanted to have that same swing and hit some homeruns. When I was down in A-ball, I was trying to be Reggie Jackson and I was striking out all the time. And I was like, ‘This isn’t the way Reggie is doing it, so I got to change.’
I was stealing all the bases, and when you had to go to arbitration they said, ‘You know, only the big boys make the money.’ So I got to try and figure out how to hit a home run, too.
I don’t think I ever got proper credit about being smart about the game.