Lou Gehrig Day video

[Shoeless Moe]

I'm sure you've all seen some of this, but pretty cool seeing an extended version


http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65...sses_Babe-Ruth

[Leon]

Great great video. Thanks for sharing.

[Iron Horse]

Wonderful footage. Thank you for sharing it with us

[Pythonfactory]

Thanks!

[the 'stache]

Thanks for sharing this, Paul.

I've often thought about this day, and how difficult it must have been for Lou Gehrig to speak in front of the Yankee faithful, not only because he knew that he was dying, but because he was an intensely private man. Being the center of attention likely made him uncomfortable, though at the same time, I'd imagine the outpouring of love from his fans must have been overwhelming. I've always held Lou Gehrig in the highest esteem. He was a class act, and his words here were eloquent, and courageous.

I saw something quite poignant on the back of the Gehrig 1934 Goudey card I want to buy at some point this spring, #37.

"I love the game of baseball, and hope to be in there batting them out for many years to come. Fortune has been kind to me..."

[Gary Dunaier]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

I saw something quite poignant on the back of the Gehrig 1934 Goudey card I want to buy at some point this spring, #37.

Here's another one for you... this comic book featurette on Lou Gehrig includes a blurb stating that "'Tarzan' as he is called by his team mates, is baseball's highest paid star and now having crashed the movies - will be quite a wealthy man, when he retires."



As it happens, this page was published as the inside back cover of a pretty important comic book... Action Comics #1, the very first appearance of Superman. But in the context of this discussion, the important thing is when the book was published - 1938, just a year before he had to step down.

[CW]

Thanks for posting that link, Paul.

Originally Posted by the 'stache

I saw something quite poignant on the back of the Gehrig 1934 Goudey card I want to buy at some point this spring, #37.

"I love the game of baseball, and hope to be in there batting them out for many years to come. Fortune has been kind to me..."

This line has always struck a bittersweet chord with me. Such a great card, too.

I also recall watching Ken Burns' Baseball series and hearing the recital of a letter Lou wrote to his beloved wife, Eleanor. He used such beautiful, heartfelt phrasings, bordering on being poetic, that they've remained with me to this day (the bolded part was used in the Baseball documentary)....

The depth of Lou’s feeling toward Eleanor was underlined by a handwritten letter he sent from Detroit the day after he terminated his active career. In part, this is what he wrote:

“My sweetheart—and please grant that we may ever be such—for what the hell else matters—that thing yesterday I believe and hope was the turning point in my life for the future as far as taking life too seriously is concerned. It was inevitable, although I dreaded the day, and my thoughts were with you constantly—how the thing would affect you and I—that was the big question and the most important thought underlying everything. I broke before the game because I thought so much of you. Not because I didn’t know you are the bravest kind of partner but because my inferiority grabbed me and made me wonder and ponder if I could possibly prove myself worthy of you. As for me, the road may come to a dead end here, but why should it? Seems like our back is to the wall now, but there usually comes a way out. Where and what, I know not, but who can tell that it might not lead to greater things. Time will tell. . .”

borrowed from: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/alumni/Ma...01/Gehrig.html

[Buythatcard]

Wow, just when you thought you've seen everything, this video pops up.

Thanks for sharing!