Quotes from professional baseball players: words that pierce the heart, filled with effort and passion
Professional baseball players who give their all on the field move our hearts not only with their play, but with their words as well.
How they accumulate effort, how they face their dreams, how they cultivate the mindset to rise after setbacks.
The memorable quotes they’ve spun are filled with messages that gently push forward not only baseball fans, but everyone who takes on challenges each day.
In this article, we’ve picked out words that resonate—spoken by players ranging from current stars to legends of the past.
We hope you find a line that quietly stays by your side in your everyday life.
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A collection of famous quotes from professional baseball players: words filled with effort and passion that strike the heart (31–40)
It’s about how strongly you can hold on to your desire to win.NEW!Senichi Hoshino
These are words by Senichi Hoshino, who achieved various results not only as a professional baseball player but also as a manager, speaking about the importance of will.
The stronger your desire to win, the more clearly you can see the concrete steps to get there, and it conveys that the results await precisely at the end of the path you pursue with that desire.
It also calls for channeling your efforts—holding a strong determination and devising strategies to reach your goal.
The message can serve as a prompt to think about what result you seek and how you will proceed toward it.
I tell myself that being in a pinch doesn’t mean I’ll die.NEW!Toshiya Sugiuchi
These are the words of Toshiya Sugiuchi, who excelled with the Hawks and the Giants and was also selected for the national team in the Olympics and the WBC.
As a pitcher, there must have been countless moments when he thought, “If I give up a hit here, it’ll be fatal…” But to survive those high-pressure situations, as his words suggest, it was important to talk to himself.
Simply thinking, “No matter how big the jam is, it’s not something that’s going to cost me my life,” can release unnecessary tension and help you bring out your true ability.
Others look at what they’ve lost, but I look at what I’ve gained.NEW!Masumi Kuwata
These are words from Masumi Kuwata, who excelled as a player for the Yomiuri Giants and drew attention as part of the “KK duo” with Kazuhiro Kiyohara, expressing his view on achievement.
He urges us not to be fixated on failure and give up, but to find what we gained from it and move forward.
The message emphasizes the importance of shifting our mindset from dwelling on the past or what we’ve lost to how we proceed from here.
Once we identify what we’ve gained, we can use it as experience next time—a positive message is embedded in these words.
I don’t think having a small body is a handicap—as long as you don’t lose in spirit.NEW!Kazuyoshi Tatsunami
These are words from Kazuyoshi Tatsunami—who made his mark as both a player and manager for the Chunichi Dragons—about the importance of having a strong will.
He conveys that even if there’s a difference in physique, you can overcome it if you have the determination to keep fighting without giving up, stressing the importance of not losing in spirit.
No matter the situation, if you’re defeated mentally, you won’t get results; it reminds us that it’s crucial to always push forward with a strong will.
Coming from someone who continually faced and overcame physical disadvantages, his words carry real weight and have the power to rouse your spirits.
Baseball is 80% tough, but we push through for the remaining 20%.NEW!Tomonori Kanemoto
Known affectionately by nicknames like “Aniki” and “The Iron Man,” Tomonori Kanemoto made his mark with the Hiroshima Carp and the Hanshin Tigers.
After retiring, he also excelled as a manager.
When you think of Kanemoto, many probably picture his light, engaging way of talking on variety and information programs.
Because of that, some might feel these words seem a bit different from his usual image.
However, true to the nickname “Iron Man,” these are weighty words that could only come from someone who has faced baseball with such rigor.
You can really sense how he approaches the game and just how captivated he is by baseball.
Being able to put in effort is a talent.NEW!Hideki Matsui
These are words from Hideki Matsui, who excelled as a player for the Yomiuri Giants and the New York Yankees, conveying the greatness of hard work.
They originally come from the artist Inosuke Hazama, and Matsui has said he adopted them as his motto and kept striving.
Talent and effort are often discussed in contrast, but this expresses the idea that the ability to keep working hard is itself a talent—that they are, in fact, connected.
It’s a statement that also reflects Matsui’s own history: because he demonstrated the talent to keep putting in the effort, he was able to achieve results.
You should have more faith in your talents and what you’ve done.Ichiro
It teaches us the importance of not underestimating ourselves and having confidence in the effort we’ve built up.
The more things don’t go well, the more we tend to think, “Maybe I can’t do it,” but the time we’ve spent working hard has never been wasted.
For example, even when results don’t come in a sport you’ve practiced for years, believing in the effort you’ve made and continuing on can turn into strength.
In studying as well, those who have kept at it steadily are the ones who can demonstrate their abilities when it counts.
These words convey that believing in yourself becomes the foundation that supports your next step.
Expectations aren’t something to meet, but to exceed.Shohei Ohtani
It teaches a positive mindset that aims not just to meet what others ask of you, but to go beyond.
Instead of stopping at “this is good enough,” it emphasizes the importance of continually pushing yourself with the belief that “I can do more.” For example, when people expect you to “get a hit,” you don’t settle for a hit—you work with the determination to go for a home run.
In studying, too, rather than thinking “as long as I pass,” you challenge yourself to “do my very best,” which leads to growth.
These words gently show a way of thinking that turns expectations not into pressure, but into an opportunity to develop yourself.
Even if I face setbacks, I don’t lose my pride—that’s because I’m putting in the effort.Shigeo Nagashima
These are the words of Shigeo Nagashima, who left countless records and memories as a leading figure in professional baseball.
Behind success lies time spent continually facing failure and setbacks.
In studying, too, when results don’t come as hoped, we may feel our confidence slipping—but the very fact that we are making an effort is something to be proud of.
Periods without results are times of building strength.
As long as we keep challenging ourselves, we can hold our heads high and face forward.
This quote affirms the self who is striving and gives us the courage to rise again.
Believe in the 1% chance, believe in yourself, and believe in what you’ve done.Yuto Horigome
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, skateboarder Yuto Horigome competed in the men’s final.
He put up a high score in his first run, but fell in his second and couldn’t improve his total.
Meanwhile, a strong American contender posted a big score, and Horigome entered his fifth and final attempt in provisional seventh place.
By landing a high-difficulty trick, he pulled off a brilliant comeback and won the gold medal.
Horigome spoke about times he nearly gave up and how he kept believing in even a 1% chance.
It’s a memorable quote that drives home the importance of never giving up.
