Satchel Paige Quotes (1906-1982)

“I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain't never been seen by this generation.”

“A bunch of the fellows get in a barber session the other day and they start to arguefy about the best pitcher they ever seen. Some says Lefty Grove and Lefty Gomez and Walter Johnson and old Pete Alexander and Dazzy Vance. And they mention Lonnie Warneke and Van Mungoand Carl Hubbell and Johnny Corriden tells us about Matty and he sure must of been great and some of the boys even say old Diz is the best they ever see. But I see all them fellows but Matty and Johnson and I know who's the best pitcher I ever see and it's old Satchel Paige, that big, lanky colored boy. Say, old Diz is pretty fast back in 1933 and 1934, and you know my fastball looks like a change of pace alongside that little pistol bullet Satchel shoots up to the plate. And I really know something about it, because for four, five years, I tour around at the end of the season with All-Star teams and I see plenty of old Satch. He sure is a pistol. It's too bad those colored boys don't play in the big leagues, because they sure got some great players. [...] Anyways, that skinny old Satchel Paige with those long arms is my idea of the pitcher with the greatest stuff I ever did see.”

“'Satchel' Paige, pitcher for the Bismark, N.D., team which is in the tournament, is one of the greatest flingers, Wagner thinks. Wagner has seen him play. "The only trouble they will have about Paige is getting a catcher to hold him. Boy—that fellow has a speed ball that goes in there like a bullet. I've seen it go right through a catcher and into the stands. It takes a great backstop to stand up to his fastball. Quite often, Paige has that trouble—a catcher who just can't hold him. Then he has to ease down and when he eases down you can beat him. That colored boy is tall, slender and has good shoulders and arms. He looks like 'Dizzy' Dean and pitches much like him."”

“Paul [Robeson] was holding forth on the wizardry of old Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and other black ballplayers jimcrowed out of what was euphemistically called the national pastime.”