Lou Gehrig — “the luckiest man on the face of this earth.” (1939)
April 16, 2009 by admin
Filed under baseball, the latest
Lou Gehrig was a first baseman for the New York Yankees in the 1920s and 1930s noted for his power hitting, longevity in playing consecutive games and his overall likability. Gehrig averaged 147 RBIs per season. No other player would hit 147 RBIs in a single season until George Foster did it in 1977. Gehrig’s RBI totals are even more impressive when considering that he batted behind two great clean-up hitters in Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio.
Per the official Lou Gehrig web site:
“Gehrig’s consecutive game streak of 2,130 games (a record that stood until Cal Ripken, Jr. broke it in 1995) did not come easily. He played well every day despite a broken thumb, a broken toe and back spasms. Later in his career Gehrig’s hands were X-rayed, and doctors were able to spot 17 different fractures that had “healed” while Gehrig continued to play.”
Nicknamed “Iron Horse” for his durability, Gehrig set numerous other baseball records including most grand slams (23). He was the first baseball player on the cover of a Wheaties box. When fans voted for baseball’s All-Century Team, Gehrig was the leading vote getter. Gehrig was once asked about playing in Ruth’s shadow. Gehrig’s replied: “It’s a pretty big shadow. It gives me lots of room to spread myself.”
The disease that took Gehrig’s life, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), came to be known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Gehrig’s diagnosis was confirmed on his 36th birthday. On July 4, 1939, the New York Yankees sponsored “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day” at Yankee Stadium. In between games of a double-header, Gehrig was recognized for his contributions and then shared this 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 seventeen 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? Sure, I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I’m lucky.
“When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift — that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies — that’s something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter — that’s something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body — it’s a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed — that’s the finest I know.
“So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I’ve got an awful lot to live for. Thank you.
Gehrig passed away 2 years later. His inspirational sports story — backed up with day-to-day service, humility and appreciation — will not be forgotten.
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Today, April 16, 2009, is the Yankees home opener in their brand new, $1.5 billion stadium. In addition to Gehrig’s speech, the old Yankee Stadium was home to countless other memorable events. After all, it was the home field for Ruth, DiMaggio, Berra, Mantle, Maris, Jeter and Gehrig.
ENJOY THIS VIDEO — Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech
