The luckiest man on the face of this earth
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On July 4, 1939, between games of a doubleheader, the Yankees honored Lou Gehrig. That was 70 years ago today.
The great slugger, who had quit the game the previous April because of a mysterious illness we now know as ALS, had his number 4 retired and was presented with a number of gifts he was too weak to hold. Mayor Fiorello La Guardia spoke to the crowd of 61,808. The Iron Horse, he said, was “the greatest prototype of good sportsmanship and citizenship.”
Then Gehrig himself spoke, giving what is considered the greatest speech in baseball history:
“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 this 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? 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 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 may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for.”
Gehrig died less than two years later. He spent his final days as a parole officer in New York City.
The Yankees will remember one of their greatest players today with a video tribute that includes current players reciting portions of his speech. The players will wear a “4ALS” patch and the No. 4 will be on first base. The Yankees also will contribute $25,000 to the ALS Association of Greater New York.
Next time you’re at the Stadium, stop inside of Gate 4. There is a photo of Gehrig there and his speech is played on a continual loop.
It’s almost impossible to describe how great Gehrig was. He hit .340 with a .447 on-base percentage and a .632 slugging percentage for his career. He had 1,190 extra-base hits in 2,164 games and drew 1,508 walks. He is third all-time in OPS behind Babe Ruth and Ted Williams.
Read Luckiest Man by Jonathan Eig if you want to learn more about this great man. I’d also suggest you visit Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, where Gehrig’s ashes were interred. Babe Ruth is buried at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery next door.
If nothing else, take a take moment today if you’re at the Stadium or watching on television and remember Lou Gehrig.
The Yankees will do their part. The players will wear “4ALS” patches on their uniforms and first base will have a No. 4 on it. Most importantly. the team will honor Michael Goldsmith, an ALS victim who prodded Major League Baseball to begin an ALS initiative on July 4 at parks across the country.
I was lucky enough to see the touching piece YES did on Michael and you should watch it today before the game. It’s a terrific piece that ends with current Yankees reciting passages of the famed speech.
UPDATE, 1:39 p.m.: If you want to watch Pride Of The Yankees, the Gary Cooper movie about Gehrig, you can watch for free on Hulu.
Go to http://www.hulu.com/watch/39073/the-pride-of-the-yankees
This entry was posted
on Saturday, July 4th, 2009 at 9:00 am by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
Gehrig is the greatest first baseman ever to play the game. Imagine if he did no thave ALS……
Great post, Peter. Thanks.
Wow. That made me teary, thanks for that post.
There is a book that was compiled of newspaper articles by a writer in Syracuse NY called Lou Gehrig’s Ashes. It contained a number of articles about Lou Gehrig and what had been at one time planned for his ashes.
Very interesting reading.
Happy 79th birthday, George M. Steinbrenner 111
7/4/30
Happy 79th GMSIII
Happy Birthday George and this is a great tribute to Gehrig.
Lou Gehrig was The Greatest Yankee of All Time…he will always be one of my hero’s…We miss you Lou!
I cannot think of the Lou Gehrig story without considering my own immigrant roots, my father, a first generation American and my mother’s people having lived only two generations here before I was born. And I cannot think of them or anyone else whose lives led them here without thinking of Emma Lazarus’ poem that appears at the base of the Statue of Liberty.
The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
—Emma Lazarus, 1883
I consider myself one of the luckiest men alive to have been born here. God bless America on her 233d birthday.
Happy birthday George M. Steinbrenner. Thanks for all you have done to make the Yankees a great team to root for
And happy birthday America!!
I’m 62 years old, have been a Yankees fan since about 1953, and until today have never read the full speach given by Lou Gehrig. Thanks, Pete, for posting it here, it is not only moving but explains so much about the man himself.
Amen murphy. I think it’s easy to forget how lucky we all are, to have been born in this country where, despite its shortcomings, most people can find a warm meal, safe place to lay their head, and an opportunity to follow your own heart. Our Constitution is the most beautiful document ever written IMHO, it embodies the aspirations not only of those founders who helped create it and set it into force but those dreams that each and every one of us is allowed to dream, and realize thanks to its protections. Lou Gherig was lucky to be a Yankee, and he knew it, I hope that at least today everyone who enjoys being an American realizes how lucky they are. I know I do.
Great post Pete.
Does anyone have an MLB TV pass that I could borrow today to see the Yankees game??
Im really hoping we can beat Roy the tool. Please??
murphydog, I went to PS 268, also known as Emma Lazarus Elementary School, in Brooklyn, and we were never give the entire poem to read. It always started with ‘give me your tired, your poor…’. Thanks also for posting the full version.
The Yankees always seem to do these ceremonies right.
Happy Birthday George and Happy Brithday America.
Here is video
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4301825
Thanks, Pete! Great post. I also would like to thank murphydog and Rob NY for sharing what you did! I am SO thankful for this country!
Happy Birthday, America! Never forget who you are and what you were born to be!
Happy Birthday, Mr. Steinbrenner! Thank you for a team we can be proud of!
MG:
You’re welcome. It’s a little like like God Bless America. When Ronan Tynan sings the song he puts in the “verse” before the part we are all familiar with. That first part is:
“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. ”
God Bless America was written of course by a European (Jewish) Immigrant, Irving Berlin.
Thanks for this, Peter.
I think it’s an unfortunate habit some of us born here get into about sort of thinking about immigrants like second class citizens. The founders were all immigrants and I don’t think anyone would question their patriotism.
murphydog
July 4th, 2009 at 10:09 am
MG:
You’re welcome. It’s a little like like God Bless America. When Ronan Tynan sings the song he puts in the “verse” before the part we are all familiar with. That first part is:
“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. ”
God Bless America was written of course by a European (Jewish) Immigrant, Irving Berlin.
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Thanks for sharing that poem.
I’ve always enjoyed that version of God Bless America.
Wow this is creepy. Last night I had some crazy dream where Jeter made the same speech. “Today…I consider myself…the luckiest man…on the face of this earth. I didn’t even know today was the day he made that speech. Major coincidence, and great read Peter.
Thanks for making me cry, Pete! Awesome post. One of the great moments in American history.
This post is why blogging by professional journalist is the new media. Totally outstanding and worthy of an award….
What’s absolutely amazing about those career stats is that you have to remember, he didn’t just get ALS the day he retired. He had probably already been sick for several years before he stopped playing, and yet he was still able to be as great as he was on the field.
Thanks to all for sharing your thoughts here.
We are a country born not of kings, but of peasants. Built by people who were pretty much outcast from their own land or who had no opportunity to prosper, either financially or spiritually.
No one place on earth will ever be perfect. But I am thankful I live in a place that, for the most part, tries.
Happy Independence Day to all.
Correction: Gehrig was on the NYC Parole Commission. He wasn’t a run-of-the-mill “parole officer.”
Mad props today to J-Han, J-Mad, T-Jeff, G-Wash and B-Frank. Posted this under the wrong blog before
Great post Pete.
I never realized how great Gehrig was. As I read the .340, .447 on-base percentage and .632 slugging I was thinking “I guess those were his numbers when he won an MVP” then I got to the part where it said “FOR HIS CAREER”.
Wow, incredible.
A question for the baseball historians…….who were the “those boys in white coats?”
The boys in white coats were probably the vendors
Hmmmmm……..could be. But if you look at Pete’s picture there is a line of men behind Mr Gehrig dressed all in white.
Also, I found another site which mentions that he got a trophy that day from the janitorial staff (who would likely have known the players better than the vendors) so I’m betting it was them.
Don’t ask why I’m obsessing about this.
Looking at only the years in which Gehrig played full seasons (i.e. after Wally Pipp’s headache and before the ALS) Gehrig’s average season was:
AB:577 R:139 H:198 2B:39 3B:12 HR:36 RBI:147 BB:112
BA:.343 OBP:.452 SLG:.639 OPS.1.091
Pretty stunning really.
He was actually named parole COMMISSIONER…not an officer.
Thanks for the tribute. The first thing I’m going to do if I make it through the pearly gates, is shake hands with Lou Gehrig.
Happy Independence Day!