Lou Gehrig's "Farewell Address to Baseball" was a speech delivered at Yankee Stadium. He had been recently diagnosed with ALS, later to be renamed as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The disease attacked the central function of the nervous system to the point of leaving it dysfunctional. During this time, the United States was gradually beginning to recover from the Great Depression, but just as things seemed to be getting better, war was quickly becoming unavoidable in Europe. The American people were constantly dealing with these two and many more issues in their daily lives. In order to relive some stress and just enjoy fresh air, Americans turned to baseball games, which is part of the reason why it became out national pastime. At this time in baseball people in New York were to see one of the best baseball players of all time play, Lou Gehrig. Grownups and children looked able up to these baseball players as if they were bigger than life, especially in a city like New York. Many of these people felt that sports and entertainment were great ways to get away from everyday life. New Yorkers especially honored Lou Gehrig. He was the Yankees’ first baseman at the time and was known for his hard-work, dedication, and humility.
The way Lou Gehrig went about
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When he says this he is showing his audience just how much he cherishes these moments. He exaggerates the fact that he would do almost anything to beat the NY Giants but ends it by saying when they give you a gift, now that’s something. He is supporting his argument of just how lucky he really is and trying to get his audience to focus on the positives. Throughout the passage Gehrig uses repetition when he says “that’s something” to create an emphasis on the great things in his life. He says this to make sure the audience understands there is so much good in his life; this disease will not stop