Luckiest Man
On July 4, 1939, an overflow crowd of 62,000 gathered in Yankee Stadium in New York to pay tribute to Lou Gehrig. The career of the great first baseman had recently been cut short by a mysterious illness—one that would kill him less than two years later. After teammates, rivals and dignitaries took turns offering gifts and testimonials, Gehrig himself shyly stepped to the microphone.
The few short phrases Gehrig offered that day remain the most famous ever uttered by an American athlete. For the 75th anniversary of the speech, Major League Baseball produced a video tribute featuring first basemen from across the league, bearing witness to the simple grace and power of Gehrig’s words. Watch the video above, cosponsored by the foundation for ALS, the disease now known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”
Here is the complete text of the speech: Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for 17 years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day?
Reflection You might notice that Gehrig’s speech is simple, with few flourishes, little imagery, and plain, direct language. Given that this is the case, why do you think it had such an impact? What made it so noticeable, and why do people still respond to it all these years later? |