Jack McMahon Quotes (4 Quotes)

He was so much better of an athlete than people thought. Back then, he wasn't heavy at all. He was solid as a rock. He was faster than anything. He would hit the ball back to the pitcher on two hops and beat it out at first base. He was incredibly fast. We used to play basketball in the mornings at the YMCA. Kirby was a great basketball player. People think Kirby was overweight when he played, but he was rock-solid.

He came to play every day. He was like Larry Bird in basketball. He was one of the first guys at practice and always put his work in. His whole attitude was contagious. You wanted to come to the ballpark and be around him. You knew you had a chance to win because he was on your team.

We wanted to start off and rattle them with the press early. We got some quick baskets and got ahead.

I found out (Sunday) and I was shocked. Then, I heard today that he was in critical condition after the surgery. That didn't sound good. It's terrible. He's 45 years old. He's one of the nicest people I've ever met in or out of baseball.