Lou Gehrig's "I consider myself..."

Henry Lou Gehrig gave one of the best speeches in all of sport history back in the late 1930’s. Faced with a terrible disease that killed him a few months later, Lou Gehrig spoke after his final game in Yankee pinstripes in front of his home crowd. Public speaking in sports usually has to do with motivational speeches given by players or coaches. However in this famous example, Gehrig gives a retirement speech that will always be remembered by sports fans around the world. He embraced his teammates, coaches, and the crowd for all the support throughout his very successful career. During the speech, Gehrig talked about his disease to the fans, and how he was blessed to be educated and able to play the game of baseball. He thanked his parents as well for always being there for him. The way he presented this speech is the reason why it will always be remembered. Gehrig got in front of sixty five thousand or so fans and talked straight from his heart. He used repetition of phrases such as, “Sure I am lucky,” and a killer closing line. This speech fits the occasion of Gehrig’s untimely retirement because it was short, heartfelt, and modest.