July 4th.

Happy July 4th/Independence Day everyone! On this day in 1776, the United States of America declared independence from Great Britain. This day is usually celebrated with BBQs and fireworks, both of which I hope to experience today =)

This is a special day for all of America, but this day marks another important event. 70 years ago today, Lou Gehrig delivered his emotional farewell speech at Yankee Stadium. Those of you who aren't baseball fans may find Lou Gehrig's name familiar because of Lou Gehrig's Disease. Lou was diagnosed with ALS and died a couple years after making this amazing speech. He was only 37, yet he made a huge impact on baseball and some of his records still stands today. Here is his speech, from July 4th, 1939:

"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."

Every team in MLB will be celebrating this speech today. The New York Yankees, Lou Gehrig's team, celebrated by having different players such as Jeter, Teixiera, Pettitte, Swisher, Posada, CC, AJ, and Damon recite the speech. A great tribute to a great man. Very classy, Yankees!

And I must honor Michael Goldsmith, the man with ALS who petitioned the MLB to start 4ALS, to raise awareness for this disease. He threw out the first pitch today.

Now with Video: (sorry for the poor quality, trying to find a better embed right now)


Have a good July 4th everyone =)

- Franny.