How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"I bet some day I'll break every record in the book for throwing and hitting." (1.245)
Roy's talking to Harriet here, and we can see how full of hope he is at the beginning of the novel. Roy doesn't know that Harriet's looking for the right athlete to murder—one who will be the best ever. If he hadn't run his mouth off with his ambitions he might have dodged her silver bullet.
Quote #2
"Sometimes when I walk down the street I bet people will say there goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was in the game." (1.257)
Still chatting with Harriet, Roy is being pushed to articulate his ambitions. She asks him over and over what he's trying to accomplish in life and Roy doesn't even understand what she means; to him it's all baseball all the time.
Quote #3
She said sweetly, "Roy, will you be the best there ever was in the game?"
"That's right."
She pulled the trigger (thrum of bullfiddle). (1.348-50)
Harriet isn't quite convinced that Roy's a worthy target for her killing spree, but by his confirming his ambition to become the greatest in the game, he convinces her to pull the trigger. She's obsessed with eliminating the best.