Ryne Sandberg Quotations

I was taught you never, ever disrespect your opponent or your teammates or your organization or your manager and never, ever your uniform.

Hit a home run - put your head down, drop the bat, run around the bases, because the name on the front is more - a lot more important than the name on the back.

If you played the game the right way, played the game for the team, good things would happen

I had too much respect for the game to leave it behind or to make it my second or third sport in college

I played it right because that's what you're supposed to do - play it right and with respect

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am.

I didn't play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel.

A lot of people say this honor validates my career, but I didn't work hard for validation.

I have great memories of being a Cub, and I'm happy building new ones with the Phillies.

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.

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

When did it - When did it become okay for someone to hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the game?

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.

I struggled many times when maybe it didn't look like I was struggling, and I had to work hard every day.

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

I don't expect any red carpet to the big leagues. If the opportunity comes, then it comes. But I don't think I'm owed anything.

I was in awe every time I walked on to the field

I was in the postseason twice and I'm thankful for that

It didn't happen, but I feel fortunate for the two chances we had and it's just a shame we didn't go to a World Series for Cub fans.

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

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

No player in baseball history worked harder, suffered more, or did it better than Andre Dawson. Hes the best Ive ever seen.

I was taught coming up in the Phillies organization to be seen and not heard by people like Pete Rose, my hero growing up, and players like Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton and Manny Trillo.

If this validates anything, it's that learning how to bunt and hit and run and turning two is more important than knowing where to find the little red light at the dug out camera.

With those numbers that he has, those plateaus, that's Hall of Fame right there. As far as I'm concerned, he's in on the first ballot.

I was fortunate enough to be there for Ernie, Billy and Ron, ... I was on the field for all those ceremonies, not even thinking I would have a day that would come like today but just taking it in. To be in their company and to join them means everything to me.

I got to see him when I got inducted into the Hall of Fame last July and he sang a song for my wife and myself that we danced to. He was just a big part of my experience with the Hall of Fame last July.

I didn't want to let them down or let the fans down or my teammates or my family or myself. I had too much respect for them to let them down.

I don't know where I'd go and want to win a championship other than here, ... That's still what I'm striving for. That's still why I'm with the organization and coming out to the ballpark as often as I do -- to be a part of that and to win a championship here.

I can't help but wonder if 31 is the next number. That's a no-brainer.

I thought '23' was kind of an odd number, ... I asked for 14, and Yosh totally turned me down and said that number's been taken and retired. Yosh Kawano has been a good friend of mine, and he was the one that picked that out for me. And that was the perfect number.

I went into spring training that first year (with the Cubs) in '82 and No. 23 was hanging up in my locker, ... I thought it was kind of an odd number. I believe I asked for 14 and (former Cubs clubhouse manager Yosh Kawano) totally turned me down and said that number's been taken and retired.

Starting off as slow as I did, 0-for-32, the organization stuck with me and allowed me to work my way through that and feel comfortable, ... It was a great situation for me to come here and play every day, and, really, that was what got the ball rolling for me.

To be with Sparky Anderson and Al Kaline, Fergie Jenkins and be with them and be a part of that group, it's still pretty incredible to me. I'm just a big fan of the game. What's neat about this exhibit is just the history that's behind it. I get kicks just walking from window to window and just seeing the history and seeing how far the game has come, kind of how the game was played way back when. It's come a long way. There's a lot of history there that I respect. You really get a good feel coming to an exhibit like this.

We do have a problem in baseball, and using steroids is not respecting the game.

To be in their company and to join them means everything to me.

We here today owe America's pastime a strict policy.

Every time I look at that flag flying, I'll think of the Cubs fans that were there for me every day. You have never let me down, and for that I will never forget you.

Big difference. All of the fans wanted my autograph, not just the Cubs fans or the National League fans.

They instilled in me how to do things the right way, having good fundamentals, having good work habits - and even how to put on my socks.

That's always been important to me and I think it's always been special. It's allowed me to have Chicago as a home; my family considers Chicago a home. There's not too many guys that spend their whole career with one team and I think it's very fortunate and a blessing for me.

I'm pretty overwhelmed right now and a little bit sick along with it. We'll see how the day goes. I was fortunate enough to be there for Ernie and Billy and Ron. I was on the field for all those ceremonies -- not even thinking that I would have a day come like today. Being in their company and joining them means everything to me.

I'm pretty overwhelmed right now and a little bit sick along with it, ... We'll see how the day goes. I was fortunate enough to be there for Ernie and Billy and Ron. I was on the field for all those ceremonies - not even thinking that I would have a day come like today. Being in their company and joining them means everything to me.

I learned a lot in the Minor Leagues, spending six years there. I honed my skills, as far as coaching goes. I was able to work with the players in a lot of facets of the game.

There's not too many guys that spend their whole career with one team and I think it's very fortunate and a blessing for me

I had to prepare physically every day, and I didn't leave many scraps for the writers

Baseball wasn't easy for me.

The reason I am here, they tell me, is that I played the game a certain way, that I played the game the way it was supposed to be played.

I never forgot the four years I spent with the Phillies, my September call-ups and my big league Spring Trainings. I never forgot that.

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

If you're in the minor leagues, you want to get to the majors.

In my day, if a guy came to spring training 20 pounds heavier than what he left, he was considered out of shape and was probably in trouble.

There was Shawon Dunston and Mark Grace, and together we were a double play combination for ten years

The fourth major league game I ever saw in person, I was in uniform

In baseball, there's always the next day