Harmon Killebrew

“I was set to go to Oregon to play college baseball and football.”

“Society doesn't like to deal with death, but it is a natural part of living.”

“No matter what, I've always been an optimistic person.”

“There was a time when rival teams used a shift against me. They would put the second baseman on the shortstop's side of the bag, move the shortstop into the hole to his right, and have the third baseman hug the foul line. The idea was to build an infield wall against a known right-handed pull hitter.”

“Joe Mauer's the real deal. He is absolutely wonderful. Not only is he a great player, but he's a great human being. He's the kind of guy you'd like to see... be your son.”

“I like happy endings.”

“Hitting .400 is something you can do by yourself. But you have to rely on guys getting on base at the right time to drive in that many runs.”

“It takes a lot of dedication to quit smoking, and whether you give up for good on your first try or have to give it a couple of tries - just keep swinging at it and you will succeed.”

“My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, 'You're tearing up the grass'; 'We're not raising grass,' Dad would reply. 'We're raising boys.'”

“I didn't have evil intentions, but I guess I did have power.”

“I do everything in a straightforward manner.”

“Hospice is such a tremendous thing. Patients seem to reach an inner peace.”

“Pitchers are smart. They know they are much better off if they mix things up and keep you off-balance.”

“When I was 14, and for the next four years, I was lifting and hauling 10-gallon milk cans full of milk. That will put muscles on you even if you're not trying.”

“I found out early in life that I could hit a baseball farther than most players, and that's what I tried to do.”

“In baseball, you pack your uniform in the clubhouse after a ball game, and you see it hanging up in your locker when you get to your next city.”

“Life is precious and time is a key element. Let's make every moment count and help those who have a greater need than our own.”

“It must be nice for today's hitters when you don't have to worry about being thrown at. It's a whole different deal. When I played, getting knocked down was an accepted part of the game.”

“I'm not a quitter. All my career, I went through a lot of physical adversity, injuries. It's in my nature to be a battler.”

“I always tried to watch the pitcher and his complete windup from the moment he had the ball in his glove all the way through his motion, and tried to follow it all the way out of his hand, all the way to home plate.”