“Bull Durham,” a classic sports film released in 1988, is renowned for its witty and memorable quotes that capture the essence of baseball, love, and life. With a mix of humor and insight, the film’s characters provide a glimpse into the world of minor league baseball and the complexities of human relationships. One of the most iconic lines, spoken by Crash Davis, portrayed by Kevin Costner, is, “I believe in the soul, the small of a woman’s back, the hanging curveball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter.” This quote embodies Crash’s unique blend of baseball wisdom and personal philosophies. The film’s collection of humorous and thought-provoking quotes continues to resonate with audiences, making “Bull Durham” a timeless sports classic.
Bull Durham Quotes
1. “I believe in the Church of Baseball. I’ve tried all the major religions and most of the minor ones… But bad trades are part of baseball – now who can forget Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas, for God’s sake? It’s a long season and you gotta trust it. I’ve tried ’em all, I really have, and the only church that truly feeds the soul, day in, day out, is the Church of Baseball.” – Annie Savoy, ‘Bull Durham’.
2. “Relax, all right? Don’t try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they’re fascist. Throw some ground balls, it’s more democratic.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
3. “Women never get lured. They’re too strong and powerful for that.” – Annie Savoy, ‘Bull Durham’.
4. “Annie: …and, well, you two are the most promising prospects of the season so far, so I just thought we should kinda get to know each other.
Crash Davis: Time out. Why do you get to choose?” – ‘Bull Durham’.
5. “When you get in a fight with a drunk, you don’t hit ’em with your pitching hand.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
6. “Walt Whitman once said, I see great things in Baseball. It’s our game, the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us.” – Annie Savoy, ‘Bull Durham’.
7. “Skip: What’s our record, Larry?
Larry: Eight and sixteen.
Skip: Eight…and sixteen. How’d we ever win eight?
Larry: It’s a miracle.
Skip: It’s a miracle. This…is a simple game. You throw the ball. You hit the ball. You catch the ball. You got it?” – ‘Bull Durham’.
8. “I’m Crash Davis; I’m your new catcher, and you just got lesson No. 1: Don’t think. You can only hurt the ball club.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
9. “You don’t want a ballplayer; you want a stable pony.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
10. “Larry: Who’s this? Who are you?
Crash Davis: I’m the player to be named later.” – ‘Bull Durham’.
11. “How come in former lifetimes, everybody is somebody famous?” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
12. “Skip: You guys. You lollygag the ball around the infield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. You know what that makes you? Larry!
Larry: Lollygaggers!
Skip: Lollygaggers.” – ‘Bull Durham’.
13. “Come on, Rook. Show us that million-dollar arm, ’cause I got a good idea about that five-cent head of yours.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
14. “Well, actually, nobody on this planet ever really chooses each other. I mean, it’s all a question of quantum physics, molecular attraction, and timing. Why, there are laws we don’t understand that bring us together and tear us apart. Uh, it’s like pheromones. You get three ants together…..” – Annie Savoy, ‘Bull Durham’.
15. “Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Ooh, I’ve heard of stuff like this.
Annie Savoy: Yeah? Have you heard of Walt Whitman?
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: No. Who’s he plays for?” – ‘Bull Durham’.
16. “The Durham Bulls began playing baseball with joy and verve and poetry.” – Annie Savoy, ‘Bull Durham’.
17. “Nuke: How come you don’t like me?
Crash: Because you don’t respect yourself, which is your problem. But you don’t respect the game, and that’s my problem. You got a gift.” – ‘Bull Durham’.
18. “Larry: Who’s this? Who are you?
Crash Davis: I’m the player to be named later.” – ‘Bull Durham’.
19. “Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: after Ebby didn’t listen to Crash, and the ball became a home run] You told him I was gonna throw a deuce, didn’t you?
Crash Davis : Yup.” – ‘Bull Durham’.
20. “Crash Davis: Last chance. Your place or mine?
Annie Savoy: Despite my rejection of most Judeo-Christian ethics, I am, within the framework of the baseball season, monogamous.” – ‘Bull Durham’.
21. “Joe Reardon : He walked 18.
Larry : New league record!
Joe Reardon : Struck out 18.
Larry : Another new league record! In addition he hit the sportswriter, the public address announcer, the bull mascot twice…
[Joe laughs]
Larry : Also new league records! But, Joe, this guy’s got some serious …..” – ‘Bull Durham’.
22. “Well, I believe in the soul…he hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot,…opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve.”– Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
23. “The world is made for people who aren’t cursed with self-awareness.”– Annie Savoy, ‘Bull Durham’.
24. “Baseball may be a religion full of magic, cosmic truth, and the fundamental ontological riddles of our time, but it’s also a job.” – Annie Savoy, ‘Bull Durham’.
25. “You just got lesson number one: don’t think; it can only hurt the ball club.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
26. “These are the ground rules. I hook up with one guy a season. Usually takes me a couple weeks to pick the guy – kinda my own spring training. And, well, you two are the most promising prospects of the season so far, so I just thought we should kinda get to know each other.” ― Annie Savoy
27. “Had a gun on him tonight. The last five pitched he threw were faster that the first five, He has the best young arm I’ve seen in 30 years. You’ve been around. You’re smart, professional. We want you to mature the kid. We want you to room with him on the road, stay on his case all year. He could go all the way.” – Joe Reardon, ‘Bull Durham’.
28. “Annie Savoy: Aren’t I pretty?
Ebby Calvin ‘Nuke’ LaLoosh: God, I think you’re real cute.
Annie Savoy: Cute? Baby ducks are cute, I hate cute! I want to be exotic, and mysterious!” – ‘Bull Durham’.
29. “You ain’t getting that cheese by me, meat. Look for the fastball up. He’s gotta come with the cheese. Relax. Relax. Quick bat.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
30. “I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.” ― Crash Davis
31. “When you get in a fight with a drunk you don’t hit him with your pitching hand.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
32. “Annie: Crash, that was fabulous.
Nuke: Crash? You mean Nuke. You said Crash.
Annie: No, honey, I said Nuke.
Nuke: You said Crash.” – ‘Bull Durham’.
33. “Don’t hold the ball so hard, OK? It’s an egg. Hold it like an egg.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
34. “I believe in the Church of Baseball. I’ve tried all the major religions, and most of the minor ones. I’ve worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms, and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. When I learned that, I gave Jesus a chance. But it just didn’t work out between us. The Lord laid too much guilt on me.” ― Annie Savoy
35. “I was in the show for 21 days once. Twenty-one greatest days of my life. You know you never handle your luggage in the show? Someone else carries your bags. It’s great. You hit white balls for batting practice. Ballparks are like cathedrals.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
36. “Crash Davis: You be arrogant, even when you’re getting beat. That’s the secret. You gotta play this game with fear and arrogance.
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Right. Fear and ignorance.
Crash Davis: [exasperated] No. Your hayseed. It’s arrogance not ‘ignorance.’” – ‘Bull Durham’.
37. “Your shower shoes have fungus on them. You’ll never make it to the bigs with fungus on your shower shoes. Think classy, you’ll be classy.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
38. “The rose goes in the front, big guy.” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
39. “You’re gonna’ show up my pitcher after I gave you a gift…RUN DUMBY!” – Crash Davis, ‘Bull Durham’.
40. “Crash Davis: Where can I go?
Skip: You can keep going to the ballpark, and keep getting paid to do it. Beats the hell out of working at Sears.” – ‘Bull Durham’.
