Quotes By Eric Davis

You can't get more appreciation than that, to be elected by the fans. That's the ultimate, really.

It takes a lot of energy to be negative. You have to work at it. But smiling is painless. I'd rather spend my energy smiling.

People always ask me how I can hit the ball so far, and I say, 'I just swing.' It's the coaches who first told me I had good bat speed. I was just swinging, and I guess it was fast. I'm pretty fast at everything.

You don't protect Mark McGwire. The only way to protect him is hit 70 homers yourself.

People saw me as being heroic, but I was no more heroic than I was with other injuries I had, like the lacerated kidney I suffered during the 1990 World Series. It's just that people haven't known anyone with a lacerated kidney, but everyone can relate to someone with cancer.

Everyone would like to play in their hometown, but right now I like Cincinnati, I like the way it's going. I'm happy.

I ate while I was taking chemo. The doctors didn't know. I really didn't get any nausea. I didn't have side effects. I would be drained for a day and a half.

It's like, now you're actually complaining because you're making $9 million and guys are making more? If it makes you that upset, quit. Leave the game. Go home then and try finding another job that's going to pay you that.

I'm having a good time. I'm going to treat every game and every day as if they are my last because I now know that they could be.

I'll have a stamp on me forever. There will always be questions. I brought new fans to the Orioles' organization, and that's good.

I remember in 1990, there were five of us making $3 million a year. When guys passed us, we didn't cry. Why would we cry? You didn't get mad when someone got $6 million. Or $8 million.

The last two times I went to spring training, I had to win a job, and if I didn't get off to a blazing start, I'm on the bench. Now, I've proven myself, so it's not essential that I get off to a real good start.

I don't think any player lives up to his potential, because people out there put you so high on a pedestal, you'll never be as good as they expect.

I don't even take aspirin.

I'd never heard of colon cancer. Baseball wasn't even important to me. I have a wife and two girls. That's what was important. The doctors told me and all I could say was, 'When are we going to get this thing out?'

Just putting my uniform on keeps me going. Being able to get out there keeps me going. That's the best therapy.

I could've played basketball, but my mind was on baseball. I didn't know what I was in for. In high school it was a matter of talent. No one told you what to do.

I love the game, it's the greatest game on earth, that's why I can't understand all of this talk about trying to make the game better. People talk about the high strike zone and changing this and that. Why? To speed up the game? That's the beauty of baseball. There is no time element.

Never give up and don't ask why because every situation does not need an answer. I'm a firm believer that I don't worry about anything I can't control.

I have figured out it's not what you do on the field, it's how many games you play in.

I want to establish myself as the first Eric Davis, not the next Willie Mays.

I was hitting .360 when I was diagnosed. I didn't forget how to play while I was recovering. I don't know if the cancer is gone for good. I don't think anyone ever knows, but no one is going to steal my joy for as along as I'm able to play baseball.

I was able to get operated on four days after I was diagnosed. It was just a matter of getting this baseball-sized tumor out of me. I reflect now on how lucky I was to be in the situation where I could get the best possible help and treatment.

Life is too short to worry about anything. You had better enjoy it because the next day promises nothing.

You can't shelter it. You can't hide it. You have to let people know what you're going through, what you're feeling, what you think you have that's a problem.

Circulating through the children's ward and seeing terminally ill kids, heads shaved, smiling and having a ball despite the tubes and needles sticking into them, I thought: What do I have to worry about? If God takes me, at least I've lived for 35 years.

If you don't believe in something, you'll fall for anything. I believe everything happens for a reason. If you are strong from within, you can will anything. I'm a firm believer that where there's a will, there's a way.

Most of the places I've been, I've been a main piece of the puzzle.

Baseball is not what I love. It's my job.

There's only one Mark McGwire. The man walked over 160 times. Just think. If he walks 60 times, he might hit 100 homers.