I know I could never forgive myself if I elected to live without humane purpose, without trying to help the poor and unfortunate, without recognizing that perhaps the purest joy in life comes with trying to help others.
ARTHUR ASHETrust has to be earned, and should come only after the passage of time.
More Arthur Ashe Quotes
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There is a terrific apprehension among some people that blacks will take over the sport… It will create problems because their behavior, speech and dress is just a completely different culture.
ARTHUR ASHE -
If one’s reputation is a possession, then of all my possessions, my reputation means most to me.
ARTHUR ASHE -
Having grown up in a segregated environment in the south I know what it’s like to be stepped on, I know what it’s like also to see some black hero do well in the face of adversity.
ARTHUR ASHE -
I don’t want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments.
ARTHUR ASHE -
True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.
ARTHUR ASHE -
My potential is more than can be expressed within the bounds of my race or ethnic identity.
ARTHUR ASHE -
Seven out of 10 black faces you see on television are athletes. The black athlete carries the image of the black community. He carries the cross, in a way, until blacks make inroads in other dimensions.
ARTHUR ASHE -
The best way to judge a life is to ask yourself, “Did I make the best use of the time I had?
ARTHUR ASHE -
It’s an abnormal world I live in. I don’t belong anywhere. It’s like I’m floating down the middle. I’m never quite sure where I am.
ARTHUR ASHE -
Always have the situation under control, even if losing. Never betray an inward sense of defeat.
ARTHUR ASHE -
I keep sailing on in this middle passage. I am sailing into the wind and the dark. But I am doing my best to keep my boat steady and my sails full.
ARTHUR ASHE -
I accepted the face that as much as I want to lead others, and love to be around other people, in some essential way, I am something of a loner.
ARTHUR ASHE -
My potential is more than can be expressed within the bounds of my race or ethnic identity.
ARTHUR ASHE -
A couple of times a day I sit quietly and visualize my body fighting the AIDS virus. It’s the same as me sitting and seeing myself hit the perfect serve. I did that often when I was an athlete.
ARTHUR ASHE -
Sometimes, a defeat can be more beautiful and satisfying than certain victories. The English have a point in insisting that it matters not who won or lost, but how you played the game.
ARTHUR ASHE