In their words …

“I’m a baseball player. I’ve always been a baseball player. I’m still a baseball player. That’s who I am.”

– Spokane native and former North Central High School Indian Ryne Sandberg, during induction ceremonies at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

“I thought, ‘Oh, dear, I hope it doesn’t hurt sales.’ “

– Alice Stoltz, former president of the Spokane Chapter of the League of Women voters, describing her reaction to the first news reports of the current controversy about Spokane Mayor Jim West, about whom she wrote a brief profile for a Washington state history book.

“When Republicans exercise recess appointments, Democrats scream, and when Democrats exercise recess appointments, Republicans scream. We should both stop screaming and fighting, and in the end recognize that having a permanent representative is a good thing.”

– U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., supporting President Bush’s decision to install John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations while Congress is in recess and can’t prevent it.

“I have never used steroids. Period.”

– Baseball star Rafael Palmeiro of the Baltimore Orioles, testifying before a U.S congressional panel in March.

“When I testified in front of Congress, I know that I was testifying under oath and I told the truth. Today I am telling the truth again that I did not do this intentionally or knowingly.”

– Palmeiro, who last Monday was suspended for 10 games after testing positive for steroid use.

“Nothing is lonelier than being with people you know, who can’t communicate with you and who don’t really care.”

– Retired Pennsylvania teacher Carolyn Brick, describing her enthusiasm for Laurent, S.D., a proposed town that would be populated by deaf people like her and where everyone would use sign language.

“What you have here is just the slow criminal justice process.”

– Spokane Police Chief Roger Bragdon, saying court delays explain why it took from April until August for the word to get out about a Spokane police officer who assaulted a handcuffed prisoner.

“The offending gap filler has been removed.”

– Astronaut Stephen Robinson, after completing a delicate repair operation under the belly of the shuttle Discovery.

“They fly through here at 50, 60, 70 miles per hour, day and night. It’s very common.”

– Cheryl Blair, describing traffic near her home in the Mead area where three people died early Wednesday after their car went off Parksmith Road at high speed and smashed into a tree.