Doug Harvey Quotes

Doug Harvey

Profession : Baseball Player

Birth : December 19, 1924

Give me 10 high school pitchers, let me spend a week with them, and I'll show you 10 pitchers who won't balk. It's not that difficult, and they better learn it.

Doug Harvey

You can't know what it's like to be a major league umpire unless you were a major league umpire.

Doug Harvey

When asked what he was fighting for, General Washington, in writing to General Thomas, said the object was 'neither glory nor extent of territory, but a defense of all that is dear and valuable in life.' He must have been an umpire. That's what umpiring is about.

Doug Harvey

My mom beat us until she started breaking clothes hangers. Wooden clothes hangers! Once we started laughing back at her, then your spankings were through. That's the way I was raised. So, I got to be about 13 years of age when finally she quit spanking on me. But I think that it was great way to be raised.

Doug Harvey

I went into umpiring at age 16. I got into officiating because of the fact that I could not stand the referees that worked our basketball games.

Doug Harvey

I wrestled as a 90-pounder, and I wrestled in the 107-pound class in my first year. I had something inside of me. I could not stand not to compete. And I don't know why... I don't know what that's all about. But that's deep inside of Doug Harvey.

Doug Harvey

I say to you, you want a thrill, volunteer to be an umpire. I'd like you to go just work the bases some day. Just go do that. You're going to love it. Try the slow-pitch stuff. You'll love it. Ask my son - he tried it! He said, 'I've never seen so many idiots in all my life.'

Doug Harvey

The one thing that all umpires have is pride, and if you don't have pride, you lose that edge.

Doug Harvey

Instant replay ought to be thrown out. Period. It's a game of imperfections. Why is that so bad for the game? Really, I think they are trying to make the game perfect. I'll tell you what: It will never, ever be perfect.

Doug Harvey

Error is part of the game. I never, ever second-guessed myself on a call and don't believe good umpires ever should.

Doug Harvey

The part of the game that fans will soon miss: the argument between manager and umpire! There was something special about watching a manger and umpire both convinced they were totally right, but knowing that one had to be wrong. As an ump, those moments made my job fun, and getting 'nose-to-nose' was part of my job description.

Doug Harvey

Officiating is trying to do your absolute best with what you've got.

Doug Harvey

I remember when replay first came to TV. I can't remember who it was now, but a manager came out to beef about a call, and I ran him. He said he was going back into the clubhouse and watch replay. I told him, 'Go ahead. I am the replay.'

Doug Harvey

I'll say it again: you've got to put the argument back in the game. They're trying to make baseball mechanized, a machine. They're ruining baseball.

Doug Harvey

I must admit, I was born to officiate; I was made to officiate. I miss it. I knew why I was doing it. God made me to umpire.

Doug Harvey