“...baseball freely admits that the sport--like civilized society--is crawling with bums.”

“Baseball, of all sports, and maybe of all human endeavors, has no room for cynicism.”

“Modern society calls the beggar bum and panhandler and gives him the bum's rush. But the Greeks used to say that people in need are the ambassadors of the gods”

“More than any other American sport, baseball creates the magnetic, addictive illusion that it can almost be understood.”

“Young Noah: [humming] Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum. Young Allie: [laughing] You're a terrible singer. Young Noah: I know. Young Allie: [laying her head on his shoulder] But I like this song. [they continue dancing in the street to I'll Be Seeing You]”

“Drunk on sports all over again, just like a seven-year old in New Jersey whose mom has just bought him two packs of baseball cards for ten cents.”