“If I’d just tried for them dinky singles I could’ve batted around .600.”
- February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948
- American
- Professional Baseball Player, Hall of Famer, Sports Icon
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Quote
“If I’d just tried for them dinky singles I could’ve batted around .600.”
Explanation
This quote reveals Babe Ruth’s philosophy of power hitting over playing it safe. By saying he could have hit “.600″—an astronomical average—if he’d focused on singles, he implies that he deliberately chose a riskier, bolder approach to the game. The use of “dinky singles” dismisses that strategy as timid or unimpressive, reinforcing his identity as someone who played for impact, not just numbers.
Historically, Ruth revolutionized baseball by popularizing the home run in an era when small ball—singles, bunts, stolen bases—was the dominant style. His swing-for-the-fences mentality transformed both the sport and the expectations of its fans. Rather than pad his statistics with safe hits, Ruth aimed for game-changing, crowd-pleasing home runs, even at the cost of more frequent outs. This quote proudly reflects his belief that style, showmanship, and decisive outcomes mattered more than batting averages.
Today, the quote speaks to anyone choosing bold ambition over cautious consistency. In business, art, or leadership, there’s often a trade-off between playing safe and making a lasting impact. Ruth’s message is clear: he could have played it safer and looked better on paper, but he chose to aim higher—and in doing so, redefined what greatness looked like.
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