“A winner never quits and a quitter never wins”

“A winner never quits” (or “winners never quit”) and “a quitter never wins” (or “quitters never win”) are sayings especially popular in sports. “A winner never quits; a quitter never wins” has been cited in print since at least 1918.
 
“Quitter never wins” has been cited in print since at least 1901 and 1903. A similar chess adage is “No game was ever won by resigning.”
 
“Quitters never win, and winners never quit talking about how they won” is a jocular variation on the saying.
   
 
Google Books
The Yale Book of Quotations
Edited by Fred R. Shapiro
New Haven, CT: Yale University Press
2006
Pg. 528 (Modern Proverbs):
A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits.”
Wash. Post, 20 Mar. 1927
   
16 August 1901, Iowa State Register (Des Moines, IA), pg. 5, col. 4:
Our advice to Brother Perkins is never quit till you are licked and then don’t quit. The quitter never wins first money and is not prized as a future possibility.
 
8 April 1903, San Jose (CA) Daily Mercury, pg. 7, col. 6 ad:
A quitter never wins a fight. Try again. Try again.
(Dr. D. F. McGraw—ed.)
 
6 May 1910, Daily Bulletin (Brownwood, TX), pg. 2, col. 1:
The quick quitter never wins anything.
 
26 December 1913, Frederick (MD) Post, pg. 5, col. 4 ad:
A quitter never wins.
(Frederick Board of Trade—ed.)
 
Google Books
November 1918, The Fraternal Builder of The Fraternal Monitor, pg. 20, col. 3:
A winner never quits; a quitter never wins. Which are you?
 
30 September 1920, Lowell (MA) Sun, pg. 1, col. 2 ad:
A WINNER never quits!
A QUITTER never wins!
You want to be a winner. We want to help you. A thrift account is the first step for a real winner.
(Washington Savings Institution—ed.)
         
Chronicling America
28 January 1921, Clinch Valley News (Jeffersonville, VA), pg. 4, col. 5:
A Winner Never Quits!
A Quitter Never Wins!
You want to be a winner. We want to help you. A thrift account is the first step for a real winner.
Start a Savings Account with
Farmers National Bank
OF TAZEWELL
 
12 May 1921, Salt Lake Telegram (Salt Lake City, UT), pg. 4, col. 5:
A “quitter never wins. A winner never quits.”
 
7 May 1922, Tampa (FL) Tribune, pg. 9B. col. 3:
A Winner Never Quits; A Quitter Never Wins.”
“A winner never quits; a quitter never wins,” as the slogan of the club girls of Lee County seems to have been a good one, for the club of that county has an almost perfect record.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
The Kelvinator salesman : a winner never quits, a quitter never wins.
Author: Kelvinator Sales Corporation.
Publisher: Detroit, Michigan : Kelvinator Sales Corporation, [1923]
Edition/Format:  Book : English
 
Google News Archive
28 February 1924, Berkeley (CA) Daily Gazette, pg. 1, col. 5:
CONGRESS TRIAL
FOR DAUGHERTY
COOLIDGE PLAN
By JOHN NIMICK
United Press Staff Correspondent.
CHICAGO, February 28.—“I’m no quitter,” Attorney General Harry M. Daugherty told the United Press when he arrived here today for a conference with federal officials conducting the grand jury investigation of the United States veteran bureau.
(...)
Daugherty was greatly heartened by telegrams of confidence from all parts of the country.
 
“A winner never quits; a quitter never wins,” one telegram stated, and Daugherty showed it with pride.
 
“That’s my position,” he said, “I’m no quitter.”
 
2 August 1925, Oregonian (Portland, OR), “Interest of Epworth League Members Centers on Institute,” magazine, pg. 8, col. 3:
One motto of these young folks was: “Quitters never win. Winners never quit.”
 
10 March 1927, Washington (DC) Post, pg. R1:
Obligation for Character
Held Inherent in “Realtor”
(...)
“Never start anything without finishing it.  ‘A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits.’”
 
13 June 1928, New York (NY) Times, pg. 2:
Attached was this note:
“6-11-28.  Four years of good luck to Hon. Herbert Hoover. Always remember Mr. Hoover that a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. This rabbit’s foot will bring not only the nomination but the Presidency. I shall not reveal my name until you are elected President. May God bless you always.”
 
OCLC WorldCat record
A winner never quits : the life and times of Walter Harrington Ryle
Author: Ruth Warner Towne; Northeast Missouri State College.
Publisher: Kirksville, Mo. : Simpson Pub., ©1970.
Edition/Format:  Book : English
 
OCLC WorldCat record
A winner never quits and a quitter never wins!
Author: Lee Roberson
Publisher: Murfreesboro, TN : Sword of the Lord Publishers, ©1994.
Edition/Format:  Book : English