ipl-logo

Lou Gehrig Essay

1337 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The life and career of Lou Gehrig

Lou Gehrig was born in New York City on June 19, 1903. Growing up in New York Lou Gehrig was involved in many sports such as football, basketball, water sports, and baseball as well as his academics. Even though he played other sports, baseball was his main sport that he excelled in. Throughout high school and college Lou Gehrig proceeded to show that he was not the average baseball player but he was one of the best. After two years at Columbia University, he was noticed by the New York Yankees. At 20 years old he was scouted and then he began playing for the Yankees along side another baseball icon, Babe Ruth. Due to his success on the field he became inducted in the Hall of Fame, a sports hero, and a baseball icon. Lou Gehrig was also the …show more content…

During his 17 seasons playing, Gehrig set many records and received many awards. One of the awards that Gehrig received included American League's Most Valuable Player for multiple seasons. At the end of his career “he had a career batting average of .340 and hit 493 home runs. Lou batted in 1,990 runs (third highest of all time) and set a major league record of 23 grand slam home runs. ” Lou Gehrig played first base but was really known for his offensive skills as each season he always put up impressive statistics. As a hitter, he was a big threat due to how many runs he batted in, how many hits he had, how many homeruns he hit, and his overall batting average. He had many nicknames throughout high school, college, and even when he made it professionally. While playing for the Yankees Gehrig received the nickname “Iron Horse” due to how many games he played in a row. Throughout his many seasons with the Yankees Lou Gehrig played 2,130 consecutive games and when he was taken out of the lineup it was Gehrig who made the …show more content…

Gehrig eventually started having troubles on and off the field. He wasn’t hitting as well as he usually did, he had a harder time at first base, and his offensive numbers were lower than previous seasons. In the spring of 1939, the people around him noticed that he was “exhibiting trouble with his coordination during spring training…missing a significant number of fastballs and falling while dressing in the locker room” . Most baseball fans just thought he was worn out after playing 2,130 games in a row his body was tired, he pushed himself too hard and too far; however, it was more than just pushing himself too hard and playing too much. After going to the doctor at the beginning of summer, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as ALS. After being diagnosed Lou Gehrig passed away about two years later, he was diagnosed in 1939 and later passed in

Show More
Related
234 Words | 1 Pages

Despite his recent diagnosis with ALS, a neurological disorder with no cure, Lou Gehrig is able to maintain a positive and inspirational tone through his use of positive diction in order to stop his fans from pitying him because he still has so much to live for. Gehrig uses many words with a positive connotation, which help create his positive tone. When describing his encounters with “these grand men,” Gehrig uses phrases such as “the highlight of his career” and “honor” to show how lucky he has been. These phrases emphasize his wonderful experiences meeting such famous figures and help him prove, to the audience, that he has lived an incredible life, which he uses to deflect pity from the audience. Gehrig’s word choice has a large impact

Read More
527 Words | 3 Pages

Jackie Robinson. The first african american to ever play major league baseball. He was an inspiration and as if some might say the best in the game. In my eyes, Jackie Robinson made a big contribution to the game and his race.

Read More
1283 Words | 6 Pages

He had 493 home runs and he had 1,995 runs batted in and the year he retired in 1939 he was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame and was the first Major League Baseball player to have his uniform number four retired by a team. Now this says a lot this says that he was a better baseball player than Babe Ruth because he got his number retired and it was the first ever number retired in baseball. But then again he did led the team into more world series and was the all around better player. But eventually Babe Ruth got his number retired and everything settled out. These numbers are never to be worn by a yankees player the first yankees numbers retired number three and number

Read More
542 Words | 3 Pages

By the time he retired he had played in 2,130 consecutive games. Lou had his first subpar season in 1938 but still averaged a .295 batting percentage. But he had health issues and had to take himself out of the game on May 2, 1939. After this Lou Gehrig was one of the first diagnosed with ALS in June 1939.

Read More
1173 Words | 5 Pages

He went to college at Columbia on a football scholarship but ended up playing football and baseball for Columbia. He was immediately recruited by the New York Yankees once spotted by a scout. Gehrig played 2,130 consecutive games and helped lead the Yankees to a world series. The first baseman was a vital part of the New York Yankees and became the team MVP and a very respected player to all. Gehrig’s speech also uses Ethos when he says, “I have been in ballparks for seventeen years”.

Read More
3008 Words | 13 Pages

Lou Gehrig: The Iron Horse Michael Brown Senior Division Historical Paper 1815 Words In the economically depressed times of the1930s, it was clear that the people of America were looking for a hero to look towards. With the legend Babe Ruth fading from baseball, it was time for Lou Gehrig to step up to the plate. Now the leader of the New York Yankees, Gehrig broke many records with his bat, and kept his ever-lasting consecutive game streak with his moral fiber. Even when Gehrig was diagnosed with a career ending disease, ALS, his character of strength and determination shined.

Read More
1213 Words | 5 Pages

The Braves said he had to at least play one more game, he hit three home runs during that game (Macht 54). Babe also retired on June 13, 1948. Babe got a sore throat and his voice began to get hoarse... his diagnosis was cancer, from then and on Babe was in and out of the hospital, he couldn’t have many visitors, but he had lots of get well soon gifts/cards. A movie was made from his life, he left the hospital bed to go see it (Macht 56).

Read More
537 Words | 3 Pages

Babe Ruth was and still is one of the most influential baseball players in American history. He shows many different examples of being a leader throughout his whole baseball career, starting at a very young age. Without Ruth, any of the teams he has ever played on wouldn’t have been as successful as they are today without his huge effort and willingness to the teams. George Ruth was born on February 6th, 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland along with 2 parents and 8 other siblings, unfortunately 6 of them died young. George grew up playing baseball starting at a very young age in his schooling years, he was influenced by Brother Matthias who was his coach.

Read More
194 Words | 1 Pages

Lou Gehrig, a name commonly placed with the disease ALS, however, Lou Gehrig was more than just a face for a disease. He was a phenomenal baseball player, a true American hero, a son, a husband and an idol to many. Many say that if one looks up the word “ballplayer” in the dictionary there is an image of Lou Gehrig sitting there as the definition. Lou Gehrig was born June 19, 1903 in New York City, the son of German immigrants, Christina Flack and Heinrich Gehrig. His parents had four children and Lou was the only one that survived past infancy.

Read More
734 Words | 3 Pages

Eventually Gehrig had to retired. "He was eventually diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a rare degenerative disease now often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease and he retired." (History.com Staff). One of the three meanings of discipline is to challenge or forcing yourself to do things we you don’t want to. Gehrig did not want to go to the hospital because his wife telling him to go made him go and that is how he showed discipline.

Read More
929 Words | 4 Pages

and I know up in heaven he will be so proud that we are still playing his favorite sport. He played for the Yankees for 17 years and he even received the nickname “The Iron Horse “ due to all the games and all the variety of injuries that he had. Lou’s disease was

Read More
1198 Words | 5 Pages

Imagine that one of the greatest baseball players ever had to retire due to a life threatening condition, later to be named after him. That was what happened to the legendary Lou Gehrig. Lou Gehrig was a renowned baseball player for the New York Yankees in the early 1920’s. The “Iron Horse” as he was known, was forced to retire at a young age due to a life threatening disease called ALS and often known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Gehrig was a slugger and was loved by fans for not only for his ability to hit the ball out of the park, but also for his social influence in baseball.

Read More
1636 Words | 7 Pages

Babe Ruth George Herman Ruth Jr. was born on February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland. George didn’t get the name “Babe” until his years in the baseball career. The boys on his team started calling him “the Babe” and soon it stuck. Babe Ruth was a well know man in his day and also in the world today. Babe was an outstanding pitcher as well as a great athlete in the outfield.

Read More
917 Words | 4 Pages

I have been in ballparks for 17 years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.” Moreover, Gehrig did not look to instigate misery out of his audience. Gehrig did not need sensitivity from his circumstance. Truth be told, Lou Gehrig did not specify his illness, particularly and somewhat centered around the positive moments that he had encountered for the duration of his life. He acknowledges what is transpiring.

Read More
1032 Words | 5 Pages

Imagine how devastating it would be to be unable to play the sport you love because of an illness. For professional baseball player Lou Gehrig, that is exactly what happened. Gehrig played baseball for the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1939 (“Biography”). At the end of his baseball career he was diagnosed with a disease called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS. ALS is a neurological disease that attacks the body’s neurons that control voluntary muscle movement (“Amyotrophic”).

Read More

More about Lou Gehrig Essay

Related Topics

Open Document