Lost Generation

This video is based on the Argentinian Political Advertisement “The Truth” by RECREAR. Make sure to watch from start to finish.

Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture

Randy Pausch (Oct. 23, 1960 – July 25, 2008), a professor at Carnegie Mellon, gave his last lecture on September 18, 2007, before at McConomy Auditorium. In his “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” presentation, Pausch reviewed lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their goals.

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Arthur Ashe, a Graceful Leader (1943 – 1993)

” True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” –Arthur Ashe

Arthur Ashe, a star tennis player in the 1960s and 1970s, is now remembered as much for his actions off the tennis court as on. That speaks volumes, as Ashe was a great tennis player. Jack Kramer ranked him as one of the top 21 players of all-time. He was the only African-American to win at Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the U.S. Open.

Off the court, he was a civil rights leader noted for his strong anti-apartheid stance. After contacting AIDs himself from a blood transfusion, he did much to call attention to the deadly disease. He founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS. He started the National Junior Tennis League and served as Captain of the U.S. Davie Cup team.

Throughout his tennis career, and after, he was noted for the grace and dignity in which he related to others. The NCAA ranked him #2 on most influential student-athletes (behind only Jackie Robinson). He lived by his own words, “From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”

A student put this video on Arthur Ashe together for a history class:

Wilma Rudolph overcomes childhood polio to become “fastest woman in the world” (1960)

When doctors told Wilma Rudolph’s mother that she’d never walk because of “infantile paralysis” caused by the polio virus, apparently her mother and Wilma never bought into their message. Her mother took her on 50 mile bus rides to receive physical therapy twice a week for several years from their home in Tennessee. As the 20th of 22 Rudolph children, Wilma had many siblings to help her with massaging her legs 4 times daily.

She was fitted with a braces on her legs to help straighten them. “I spent most of my time trying to figure out how to get them off,” she said. “But when you come from a large, wonderful family, there’s always a way to achieve your goals,” said Rudolph. Within a few years, in a Forrest Gump-like fashion, she shed her braces. Her parents found her one day playing basketball barefoot with her brothers.

Following in an older sister’s footsteps, Wilma played basketball with a passion. In high school, she led her team to a state championship and set a state record for scoring in one game — 49 points. A track coach encouraged her to pursue running track. At 5’11″ tall, she had a long, powerful stride. She soon became a track star.

She went to her first Olympic Games in 1956 when she was just 16 years old. She won a bronze medal in the 4×4 relay. But, that was just the beginning. At the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Wilma became the first American woman to win 3 gold medals in Olympic history. She won the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and ran the anchor leg on the 400-meter relay team.

After being told she’d never being able to walk, she was now recognized as the “fastest woman in the world.”  Wilma wrote, “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: the potential for greatness lives within each of us.” Wilma Rudolph’s story continues to inspire people today.

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Read more: M.B. Roberts article on Wilma Rudolph at ESPN

Lou Gehrig — “the luckiest man on the face of this earth.” (1939)

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

Blind designated shooter wins game with free throws

Baseball has its designated runner. It allows a manager to substitute a slower runner on base with a quicker one. Now, at least for one team, basketball has its designated shooter — a designated free throw shooter.

In Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, senior Matt Stevens, who is blind, was the designated free throw shooter for his St. Lawrence CYO team in a charity tournament this past February. The other teams in the tourney and the referees bought into the concept. When one of his teammates was sent to the foul line, a quick substitution was made and Matt was allowed to shoot the free throws.

Read Rick Reilly’s “Life of Reilly” column for the full story: Matt Steven can’t see the hoop. But he’ll still take the last shot.

30 Youth Basketball Practice Plans — Be ready for every practice in 5 minutes! Go to www.coachingwhiz.com

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