The Greatest by Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers's 1999 "comeback" album, She Rides Wild Horses, featured a pair of hit singles that returned him back to the top of the country charts after a long absence.

The first of those two was a lovely, sentimental song titled Buy Me a Rose that featured stunning support vocals from Alison Krauss. The second hit was a sentimental story-song penned by Don Schlitz, the same celebrated Nashville songwriter who gave Rogers his 1978 smash The Gambler, titled The Greatest which Baseball Almanac is pleased to present.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"He makes no excuses, He shows no fears He just closes his eyes and listens to the cheers" - Don Schlitz & Kenny Rogers

The Greatest

by Kenny Rogers (1999)

Little Boy, in a baseball hat
Stands in the field with his ball and bat
Says I am the greatest player of them all
Puts his bat on his shoulder and he tosses up his ball

And the ball goes up and the ball comes down
Swings his bat all the way around
The world's so still you can hear the sound
The baseball falls to the ground

Now the little boy doesn't say a word
Picks up his ball, he is undeterred
Says I am the greatest there has ever been
And he grits his teeth and he tries it again

And the ball goes up and the ball comes down
Swings his bat all the way around
The world's so still you can hear the sound
The baseball falls to the ground

He makes no excuses, He shows no fears
He just closes his eyes and listens to the cheers

Little boy, he adjusts his hat
Picks up his ball, stares at his bat
Says I am the greatest the game is on the line
And he gives his all one last time

And the ball goes up like the moon so bright
Swings his bat with all his might
And the world's so still as still can be
And the baseball falls, and that's strike three

Now it's supper time and his mama calls
Little boy starts home with his bat and ball
Says I am the greatest that is a fact
But even I didn't know I could pitch like that

The Greatest
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Click the player to Hear The Greatest by Kenny Rogers

Did you know that more than twenty-seven people wrote a review of this album on Amazon and the average rating was five of five possible stars?

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