Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Attribution ·15 of 348
"Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. — Mark Twain"
They never said that.
What people say
"Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. — Mark Twain"
What was actually said
"No verified Twain source." Satchel Paige (attributed) — Attributed — no documented original; earliest traceable to Satchel Paige, c. 1953
Why it stuck
The line is far more consistent with Paige's speech patterns than Twain's. Twain was not alive in 1953. Paige used a variant ("If you don't mind, it don't matter") repeatedly through his career.
Paige's baseball-philosophy lines get attributed to Twain with some regularity.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.