Quotes from Ryne Sandberg

Baseball wasn't easy for me.

In baseball, there's always the next day.

There is a lot to managing, and with almost four years under my belt, I believe I'm ready.

I'm not thinking about records. Just winning the pennant would be exciting.

It's an elite group. And once you're in the Hall, you're in the Hall. Up until now, I think the voting system has handled things very well. And like I said before, there are no suspicions in the Hall of Fame.

There were a lot of players who worked just as hard as I did, and if you didn't, you didn't stay in the big leagues.

I think sometimes Hall of Famers might get labeled as guys who aren't suited for a coaching job or to be back at the Major League level.

At my growing years of 18 to 21 years old in the Minor Leagues, I dreamed of being a Philadelphia Phillie.

My mom was at every single game I played as a kid, rain or shine

I was a baseball player at North Central High School in Spokane, Washington even though I was all-city in basketball, even when I signed a letter of intent to play quarterback at Washington State.

Baseball is all about relationships, and in some ways, what know you and who knows you.

I talk to the players, either individually or as a group, what I'm feeling, and I think the players appreciate that. And I think they respond to that.

It was everyone going up there to swing for the fences, because the home runs were what would get them on 'SportsCenter.' That really changed the mindset of the players.

I played high school football at a hundred and eighty-five pounds and played big league baseball at a hundred and eighty-two. I'd get up to maybe 188 in the off-season because every summer I'd lose eight to ten pounds.

I know I'm appreciated by how fans treat me, and the best way to treat them is play every day, hard. I sign autographs, but if I'm with someone I don't know who doesn't start the conversation, there won't be a conversation. That's just me, living my life. But I'll loosen up after baseball.

I just appreciated so much the contract they gave me, and I wanted to give something back to the Cubs' organization.

Tainted numbers, I believe, do not belong in the Hall of Fame.

My wife Margaret is the best thing that's ever happened to me.

As great a public speaker as I am, I don't know have - I don't - I don't have the words to describe Cub fans who welcomed me as a rookie, were patient through my 1-for-32 start, and took me into their homes and into their hearts and treated me like a member of their family. You picked me up when I was down.

Your first responsibility is to the organization, to teach and prepare players to get to the big leagues and have them ready when they get there, but everyone in the minors wants to be in the majors.

I thought I was a pretty good shortstop, but I also wanted to play in the major leagues.

I defend my players and coaches.

I got into pro ball at 18 and played until I was almost 39, non-stop.

I've been proud to be a lifelong Chicago Cub and still be with the Cubs. That's always been important to me and I think it's always been special