Lou Gehrig Analysis
Ben Pohlman
AP Lang
11/8/10
Speech Analysis Lou Gehrig was one of the best baseball players of his time. He also gave one of the best speeches of baseballs history. When he was diagnosed with ALS, he had to quit his baseball career. In his Farwell Address to baseball, Lou Gehrig uses parallel structure to emphasize the statements that are truly important to him. “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”. In 1939, Lou Gehrig played for the New York Yankees. These 2 teams were rivals of each other when Lou was diagnosed. To receive a gift from this team when he retired, that truly made him feel something on the inside. “When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies – that’s something.” Gehrig is saying that absolutely everyone was honoring him. Even the low level positions of the stadium, honored him with trophies. He couldn’t be happier to see something that spectacular happen to him. The fact that everyone appreciated the work he put in to the Yankees team, meant something to him. “When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who take sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter – that’s something”. Most mother-in-laws take sides with their own daughter or son in an argument. But for Gehrig’s occasion, she would take sides with him. This proved that he must have had something special that made his wife’s mother like him more than their kid. Obviously, Lou can appreciate the fact that he had an extremely caring mother in law because that meant something to him. “When you have a father and mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body – it’s a blessing”. Lou Gehrig really connects to the audience with this one. Most people were probably thinking they wouldn’t even be sitting in these seats if they didn’t have parents who worked for their education. Lou Gehrig is grateful that he had
AP Lang
11/8/10
Speech Analysis Lou Gehrig was one of the best baseball players of his time. He also gave one of the best speeches of baseballs history. When he was diagnosed with ALS, he had to quit his baseball career. In his Farwell Address to baseball, Lou Gehrig uses parallel structure to emphasize the statements that are truly important to him. “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”. In 1939, Lou Gehrig played for the New York Yankees. These 2 teams were rivals of each other when Lou was diagnosed. To receive a gift from this team when he retired, that truly made him feel something on the inside. “When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies – that’s something.” Gehrig is saying that absolutely everyone was honoring him. Even the low level positions of the stadium, honored him with trophies. He couldn’t be happier to see something that spectacular happen to him. The fact that everyone appreciated the work he put in to the Yankees team, meant something to him. “When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who take sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter – that’s something”. Most mother-in-laws take sides with their own daughter or son in an argument. But for Gehrig’s occasion, she would take sides with him. This proved that he must have had something special that made his wife’s mother like him more than their kid. Obviously, Lou can appreciate the fact that he had an extremely caring mother in law because that meant something to him. “When you have a father and mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body – it’s a blessing”. Lou Gehrig really connects to the audience with this one. Most people were probably thinking they wouldn’t even be sitting in these seats if they didn’t have parents who worked for their education. Lou Gehrig is grateful that he had