(Grant has graciously shared his project with ESPN.com. In-text: (American Rhetoric: Lou Gehrig - Farewell to Baseball Address, 2015) Your Bibliography: Americanrhetoric.com. He put up decent numbers in the '38 season -- .295, 29 home runs, 114 RBIs -- but teammates could see he was not the same. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the . Babe Ruth Question 7 options: a) Eulogy b) Acceptance c) Dedication. On July 4, 1939, in Yankee Stadium New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig gave a speech to a crowd of supporters that would come to be known as his Farewell to Baseball address. Cooper even got standing ovations when he recited it on a USO Tour during World War II. He could have parlayed his fame, and his speech, into a lucrative second career as Lou Gehrig, Hero. The place was home plate at Yankee Stadium. [AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text version below transcribed directly from audio] Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. By the time he was asked to speak, he made a gesture to the M.C., the sportswriter Sid Mercer, that he would not say a word. It is a reminder that even in the face of inevitable tragedy, we can find solace and joy in the things we love. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4540749582151874"; His name is Lou Gehrig's in his 272 word speech which lasted about two minutes. He spoke about his love for the game of baseball and how proud he was to have been a part of it for so many years. Movie, Baseball, Men. The speech has become known as one of the most emotional and touching moments in sports history, as Gehrig spoke eloquently about his love for the game and his gratitude for the support of his fans. ", The "bad break" was his recent diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as, Now, 80 years later, Major League Baseball is commemorating, Gehrig was an unlikely American hero. Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrow? Ed Barrow, the bushy-browed president of the Yankees, also lived in Larchmont, and he would have the players come out to his house on a designated day in the offseason to sign their contracts -- a school holiday for the kids who wanted to get the autographs of Ruth and Gehrig and their teammates. Speaker-Lou Gehrig is the speaker in this speech and he is trying to convey to his fans how truly thankful he is. Yankees' Lou Gehrig gives an emotional farewell speech in between games of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. At a time when the entire country was struggling through the Great Depression, Eig says Gehrig became "a symbol of endurance." They were 51-17, on their way to a 106-45 record and a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series. In just a few short minutes, Gehrig managed to capture the essence of what it meant to be a professional baseball player He spoke about the camaraderie among teammates, the love of the game, and the special bond that exists between players and fans. Gehrig set several major league records. Sure, I'm lucky. We know him as a phenomenal ballplayer whose achievements were only recently surpassed -- by Cal Ripken in consecutive games played, by Jeter in hits as a Yankee. What is significant is that the actual Farewell Address, just like the actual man, had more depth and dignity than the movie version. Grizzlies fans will be treated to a special camouflage baseball and a copy of Gehrig's speech to commemorate the evening. He bid farewell to baseball, famously calling himself "the luckiest man on the face of the earth" despite being stricken with an incurable illness that would claim his life and . "He's the 'Iron Horse,' he's the train: he shows up every day for work," Eig says. He also talked about how blessed he was to have the love and support of his wife and family. all their lives so you can have an education and build your body -- its a ), Says Grant, "What I learned from the project is that even though you might be given a bad hand in life, you can still go out and do something good.". In terms of the rhetorical situation, the speaker produced a fitting response that eliminated the exigence in that situation. Twins @ Yankees. And I might've been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for. Also in this database: In "My Luke and I," Eleanor describes a scene that was used in the movie: a brief argument they had when she tried to talk him out of playing in his 2,000th straight game -- she thought 1,999 would be a more memorable stopping point. Did they ever walk by our house, which is up the hill from the Stonecrest? The disease would eventually take his life, but not before he inspired millions with his words. This is Eleanor's description of the impromptu nuptials in the charming 1976 memoir she wrote with Joseph Durso, "My Luke and I:", "The carpet-layers, the plumbers, the janitor, the cops, the coatless groom, the besmudged bride and the aproned attendants all stood rigid as Mayor Otto intoned the words that made this unlikely couple man and wife. It seemed as if the luminous career of Lou Gehrig would go on forever. from you fans. The Yankees won yet another title, and Barrow asked him over to his house one night in the offseason to negotiate a new contract. The estate of Eleanor Gehrig, who passed away in 1984, donated the trophy with the Kieran poem to the Hall of Fame in 1985. Speeches were made by McCarthy; the mayor of New York, Fiorello LaGuardia; and Postmaster General James Farley. But that didn't stop me from thinking about all the scenes that played out there. Lou Gehrig, the Iron Horse of baseball famed for his 2,130 consecutive-games-played streak, made one of the most memorable speeches in the annals of sports. He died less than two years after giving his speech, on June 2, 1941, at age 37. 0m 18s. Forced to arbitrate between them in a fight over wedding arrangements as the 1933 season wound down, Gehrig took an interesting way out: He called the Mayor of New Rochelle and had him come over to the apartment Eleanor was readying for their life together. have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her Look at these grand men. More than 62,000 fans witnessed Gehrig give his farewell speech. It came at the very beginning of Gehrig's speech, but for dramatic effect, it's at the end of Cooper's. The Yankee's first baseman and prodigious slugger was nicknamed the Iron Horse for his durability and commitment to the game. Gifts were presented. 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 everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coatsrememberyou with trophies - that's something. In that newsreel footage, you can also detect something else the movie ignored: Gehrig's thick New York accent. Look at these grand men. "What Gehrig is saying is that it's not the longevity that counts: it's the quality of the life. $3.00. Fifteen days later on July 4th, 1939 Lou Gehrig flew to Yankee stadium in New York and gave his famous, "Farewell to Baseball" speech. His farewell speech given on July 4, 1939, at Yankee Stadium (now known as Lou Gehrig Day) is considered the most famous speech in baseball history. When reporters went to talk to him in Larchmont, he said, "I'm as proud as can be. Gehrig had a lifetime batting average of .340 and won the Triple Crown in 1934. There were speeches from such dignitaries as New York City mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, Yankees manager Joe McCarthy and Gehrig's old friend, Babe Ruth. Gehrig's farewell speech included rhetorical stratigies. Copyright Status: But first, let's find out a little bit more about who Lou Gehrig was. This is likely due to the support he received from family and friends, as well as his love for baseball. Wear high-waisted shorts, a skirt, or pants.Tuck in your top or knot it at the front.Wear Converse or Vans.Accessorize with a baseball cap. To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Sid Mercer, the sportswriter who served as master of ceremonies, told the crowd that Larrupin' Lou was too moved to speak. Expert answered| emdjay23 |Points 203869|. Soon after Gehrigs death he was asked by Gehrigs widow, Eleanor, to make the announcement to the newspapers. ), Take the most famous line of the speech: " the luckiest man on the face of the earth." The doctors said I couldnt play baseball. But higher than that we hold you, HTML transcription by Michael E. Eidenmuller. For over forty minutes Gehrig was heralded by members of the 1927 Yankees (including Murderers Row leader Babe Ruth), New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and Postmaster General James A. Farley. Lou Gehrig. 'Believe in the power of cheese': How a group of rookies helped give the Brewers the best vibes in baseball, Fantasy baseball: Load up on San Diego bats this weekend, Senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. 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. "I think that relates really well with Lou: he's not only remembered as a great player, but as a good person. Perhaps most famously, Gehrig ended his speech with the now-famous phrase I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.. ", Eight decades after his death, there remains no cure for ALS, now commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease in the US. Ripken, Jr Emotion had overcome him. 2015. Gehrig's fans did not know he would die two years later of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis . Around long enough to have written about athletes from Hank Aaron to Ben Zobrist and Super Bowls from VII to XLVI. . But he couldn't hit a lick that spring and began stumbling. With his condition rapidly deteriorating, Gehrig put his name to a syndicated article (almost certainly ghostwritten) that explained what he felt was a lifetime of thankfulness: for his parents, for making his high school football team, for attending college, for signing with the Yankees, for Eleanor. He had played in 2,130 consecutive games until his finale on April 30, 1939 when he acknowledged that his once-mighty body had betrayed him with unyielding cruelty. Phoenix, AZ 85004 Heartfelt and poignant, this man with less than two years to live shared his feelings to an enraptured audience that left tears rolling down the cheeks of all but a few. The legendary first basemans emotional speech came just two weeks after he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a terminal illness that would come to bear his name. The Yankees won the World Series six times during his 17-year tenure with the team. "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. According to Kieran, one day Gehrig, from his chair by an open window, pointed to the trophy from his teammates and said, You know, some time when I get well, sometimes I have that handed to me and I read it and I believe it and I feel pretty good., Soon after Gehrig died at the age of 37 on June 2, 1941, Kieran would write, Thats the best pay this observer ever received for anything he ever wrote.. Support provided by Market New York through I LOVE NY/ New York States Division of Tourism as a part of the Regional Economic Development Council awards. "There's a great lesson there for all of us, because we are all going to face tragedy. The impact of Lou Gehrigs Farewell to Baseball address can still be felt today. He visited his former residences. Kieran not only knew Gehrig as a player but also as a neighbor in Riverdale, NY. He found a copy of his marriage certificate in the County Clerk's Office in White Plains, as well as a canceled check Gehrig made out to the Mayo Clinic. database: For about an hour, though, the focus returned to the star of Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day. Decked you with laurel leaves. The speech came just two weeks after he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a debilitating and ultimately fatal disease. The correct answer is C. In a periodic sentence the main clause is at the end. The speech of Lou Gehrig's Farewell to Baseball Address is about how a famous baseball player who says goodbye to his life dream of playing baseball because Lou was diagnose with a disorder called Amyotrophic letral sclerosis. Lou Gehrig had been playing major league baseball for seventeen years and is one of the most well thought of players in the game. On July 4, 1939, at the Yankee Stadium a man conveyed a standout amongst the most moving and powerful addresses. There were gifts galore: a fishing rod and reel from his teammates, candlesticks from the rival New York Giants, a smoking stand from the writers, a silver platter from the stadium vendors. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Lou Gehrig debuted in professional baseball on June 5, 1923, at 19-years-old for the New York Yankees.By his fifth season, Gehrig had become a full-time starter, led the league with 173 RBIs and was named the American League MVP, his first of two Most Valuable Player honors.Gehrig led the league in runs scored four times, RBIs five times, home runs three times, times on base six times, and won . Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. From there he drove to his office in lower Manhattan six days a week, poring over case files and interviewing miscreants to determine their release dates from jail. We took our foes as they came: Every once in a while, I imagined what life in Larchmont was like for the Gehrigs, who lived there in the crucial years of 1938 and 1939. He was born of German parents in the Yorkville section on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the only one of their three children to survive beyond infancy. Before he walked out the door to go to the Stadium that day, she told him, "All they'll do is hang a horseshoe of flowers around your neck. Although ALS would ultimately claim Gehrigs life just two years later, his legacy as one of baseballs greatest players has lived on. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in . Thursday, July 4, the Fresno Grizzlies will host a special ALS awareness evening to honor the 74th anniversary of Lou Gehrig's farewell to the New York Yankees and his fans. 722. Waite Hoyt, the Hall of Fame pitcher, owned a funeral home there, and the players often gathered at the Loyal Inn on Boston Post Road at the New Rochelle border. 33 Copy quote. On July 4, 1939, Yankee First Baseman Lou Gehrig gave a short speech of farewell during retirement ceremonies at Yankee Stadium in New York City. 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. In Lou Gehrigs Farewell To Baseball Address, given on July 4, 1939, Gehrig spoke about the importance of baseball in his life. On June 2, 1939, Gehrig was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurological disease that would eventually take his life. Eleanor, who was paid $30,000 for the rights to the story, implored Goldwyn: "I feel if you should depart from the original you would lose all of the simple charm.".
