A self-made man, Chuck Connors was a man of many talents. Before he became known as gun-slinging hero Lucas McCain of The Rifleman, he made a name for himself in sports as a professional baseball player. Years later, Connors spoke to The Plain Dealer about his sports career. Though Connors had changed professions, he did believe that baseball players back in his day were a cut above the rest.

"My honest opinion is that we were far more dedicated," he said.

But Connors didn't leave all of his sporting glory days behind in the dugout. Rather, he explained that he was able to use many of the lessons he learned on the diamond. While Connors was known on the field for his high-energy personality, he explained that one of the greatest things baseball taught him was how to exercise patience, a quality that served him well as an actor.

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"I'm not rushing into it," he said. "I want to see the script and check on the producers. That's one thing I learned from sports."

Connors also mentioned that while they might seem fairly different at first glance, there are more similarities between a television series and a baseball team than we might think. 

"The producer is like a baseball manager or coach," Connors said. "A good one, like Walter Alston or Red Auerbach, can make you. A bad one can kill a team and a show. In my situation, I can be choosy. Like those home runs. I don't have to hurry around the bases anymore."

So while we always enjoy seeing Connors on our television screen, there's no doubt that his athletic career served him well, even years after he hung up his bat.