It's not unprecedented for a single speech by a president or world leader to stand the test of time. For a baseball player to have that kind of lasting impact, however, it takes something truly special.
Generations of sports fans know at least a few of the words shared by Yankees legend Lou Gehrig on July 4, 1939, when he delivered a farewell speech at Yankee Stadium after being diagnosed with ALS. The disease robbed him of the end of his historic career and would cost him his life two years later.
Gehrig's fortitude in the face of a fatal diagnosis still serves as an inspiration to many, and his farewell speech is remembered by MLB each year.
Here's a look back at Gehrig's iconic "Luckiest Man Alive" speech, including what he told The Sporting News about his condition in 1939.
MORE: What is MLB's annual Lou Gehrig Day?
What was Lou Gehrig's 'Luckiest Man Alive' speech?
Gehrig delivered a farewell speech now known as the "Luckiest Man Alive" speech to Yankee Stadium fans in 1939, two weeks after he was diagnosed with ALS, in an event labeled Lou Gehrig Day.
The diagnosis came after Gehrig uncharacteristically struggled early in the 1939 season, prompting him to take himself out of the lineup in May. Initially, Gehrig blamed his physical issues on his own lack of training. "My so-called collapse was my own fault. ...I should have been jogging [in the offseason], and should have come into training camp with my legs fit for the task," Gehrig told The Sporting News in 1939.
By June, however, Gehrig was not improving, and he received the diagnosis after days of testing.
While the disease was not as well known by the public as it is today, ALS came with a grim prognosis for Gehrig. Not only did it end his playing career, but it threatened to take away his ability to walk, talk and function. Gehrig knew his disease would ultimately be fatal, telling a reporter after his diagnosis, "They're wishing me luck — and I'm dying."
Despite the devastation of the diagnosis, Gehrig spoke to the fans about how lucky he was, thanking them for their "kindness and encouragement" over the years. Gehrig also thanked his family and Yankees teammates, calling himself the "luckiest man on the face of the Earth" for receiving so much support.
Only a portion of the speech was caught on camera, but those clips have become part of baseball history.
MORE: SN archives — Lou Gehrig's death shocks all in the game
When did Lou Gehrig deliver the 'Luckiest Man Alive' speech?
Gehrig spoke to the fans at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, just over two weeks after he was diagnosed with ALS. The Fourth of July speech came between games in a Yankees doubleheader against the Washington Senators.
Gehrig was able to stand on his own and speak clearly just weeks removed from his diagnosis, but he would pass away less than two years later in June 1941.
MORE: What to know about MLB's Jackie Robinson day
Watch Lou Gehrig's 'Luckiest Man Alive' speech
Only a portion of Gehrig's speech was captured on camera, but here are the words he shared that have stood the test of time:
Former Sporting News columnist Dan Daniel, who backed the idea of the Yankees holding a Lou Gehrig day, wrote in 1939 that he initially thought the moment would be too much for Gehrig.
"When I saw Lou standing out there before 61,000 persons, with tears streaming down his face," Daniel wrote, "I was sorry I ever suggested such a proposition." Gehrig's speech, however, went on to become a symbol of courage.
Full transcript of Lou Gehrig's speech
Here is Gehrig's full speech, including portions not caught on camera:
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 this 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 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 may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for.
Why is Lou Gehrig called the 'Iron Horse'
Gehrig earned the nickname of "Iron Horse" during his remarkable 14-year consecutive games streak. Gehrig played 2,130 consecutive games from 1925-1939, setting an MLB record that many considered unbreakable until Cal Ripken Jr. played his 2,131st consecutive game in 1995.
Gehrig's toughness was one reason his diagnosis came as such a shock. Not only was he a legendary baseball player, but he was viewed as the image of resilience, having played through numerous ailments to remain available for the Yankees and extend his streak. Gehrig's decision to take himself out of the lineup after struggling early in 1939 stunned fans, and it turned out only a fatal diagnosis was able to end such a historic run for the "Iron Horse."
Gehrig told The Sporting News in 1939 that he felt numb after taking himself out of the lineup and ending his streak. "The sensations I went through from that moment cannot be described," Gehrig said. "I do not remember how I felt sitting in the dugout while for the first time in 2,131 games another man went through a contest in my place."
MORE: Who is on the Mount Rushmore of New York sports?
What is ALS?
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It worsens over time, causing muscles to waste away and the spinal cord to degenerate. The disease can lead to difficulty breathing and swallowing, as well as paralysis, and is ultimately fatal.
ALS was first identified in 1869, but became known internationally when it ended Gehrig's career in 1939. For that reason, the condition is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
There is currently no cures or effective treatments to stop the progression of ALS, though some treatments slow disease progression. The cause is also unknown in most cases.
A small percentage of ALS patients also suffer from dementia as the disease progresses, but in most cases, an individual's mental capabilities are not affected.
What is Lou Gehrig Day?
Lou Gehrig Day is MLB's annual tradition to honor Gehrig's life and legacy while increasing ALS awareness. Lou Gehrig Day falls on June 2, the anniversary of Gehrig's death, though teams could honor the day on June 1 if they are off on June 2.
The first-ever Lou Gehrig Day was observed in 2021 and has been a key date on the MLB schedule each year, with each team wearing a No. 4 patch in honor of Gehrig.
In addition to honoring Gehrig, MLB uses the day to raise awareness for ALS, which remains without a cure.