ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 29, 1995 TAG: 9512290043
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Friday Something
SOURCE: NANCY GLEINER
If the old saying were reversed and words spoke louder than actions, some professional athletes would be benched most of the time. And rightfully so.
Consider these examples of foot-in-mouth syndrome from ``The 776 Stupidest Things Ever Said,'' by Ross and Kathryn Petras:
``They gave me a standing observation.'' - Ex-Houston Oiler and Florida State coach Bill Peterson.
``Half this game is 90 percent mental.'' - Philadelphia Phillies manager Danny Ozark.
``I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body.'' - University of Kentucky basketball forward Winston Bennett.
New York Yankees great Yogi Berra has his own section, which includes:
``We made too many wrong mistakes.''
``It gets late early out here,'' after he dropped a fly ball during the 1961 World Series, explaining that the sun gets in the players' eyes in Yankee Stadium's left field.
``If you come to a fork in the road, take it.''
After he had seen a streaker and was asked whether the person was male or female, Berra replied, ``I don't know. They were wearing a paper bag over their head.''
On why he bought a large life insurance policy, he commented, ``I'll get it when I die.''
``You give a 100 percent in the first half ... and if it isn't enough, in the second half you give what's left.''
``Mantle's a switch hitter because he's amphibious.''
``If you can't imitate him, don't copy him.''
Although he was voted American League MVP three times, he once said, ``How can you think and hit at the same time?''
Yogi-isms may be a genetic phenomenon. Yogi's son Danny's once observed that ``The similarities between me and my father are different.''
LENGTH: Short : 43 linesby CNB