July 4, 1939

Lou Gehrig at Yankee Stadium:

“Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”

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Gehrig knew he was very sick when he stood before the microphones at Yankee Stadium on Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day (July 4, 1939) between the first and second games of a doubleheader. Surrounded by his former Yankees teammates, including Babe Ruth, Gehrig received presents and good wishes.

When it came time for Gehrig to speak, the quiet first baseman shook his head. But the more than 60,000 fans chanted “We want Lou. We want Lou.”

So Gehrig — a dying man — told the crowd he was “lucky.” He was lucky because of all the good people in his life. His wife and family. His teammates. The Yankees’ owner and managers. The fans. Gehrig even remembered the groundskeepers and other folks who worked at Yankee Stadium.

He concluded by saying, “I may have had a bad break, but I have a lot to live for.”

Lou Gehrig died June 2, 1941. But he is still known as the Luckiest Man....