Eight Is Enough
The most defeating thing in life is self defeat. I spent seven years of my life playing against myself before I decided eight was enough. Seventy years ago today, Lou Gehrig was unanimously and unprecedentedly inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Lou is the only player to enter the baseball elite before the mandatory waiting period. Gehrig personified excellence on every level. His will to live through strength, tremendous courage and humility were only some of Gehrig’s admirable qualities. The Yankee Clipper was forced to deal with the face of doubt. He was dealt cards some of us will fortunately never have to draw. He handled those devastating cards like a professional when doctors declared Gehrig terminally ill. The first baseman never let the illness defeat him. Even though I never knew Lou, I do know he appreciated each day and lived them with vivacity.
The strains and struggles of life don’t have to shake you. Gehrig is proof of how to take life’s curves and turn them into grand slams. The Ironhorse worked harder than any other ball player. He hit better than most in the history of the sport. All the talent in the world couldn’t save Gehrig from the incurable ALS disease. The illness was who he became and what he stood for after his premature passing. The ailment contributed to his legend because of the graceful way he dealt with the setback. His disposition didn’t waver with the daunting news.
Sports are a form of self expression. I chose to participate in athletics in order to fulfill something empty inside myself. The emptiness disappeared whenever I took the mound of swung a racquet. There will always be a void in me that only sports will fill. Athletes are like artists. They showcase their talents and skills through a game. For me, Gehrig painted the picture of the quintessential baseball player. His demeanor and manner were what I sought to become as an athlete and as a person. Gehrig had a deep passion for the game only another athlete could find meaningful. I can attest to that same passion every time I compete. In my opinion, there’s nothing comparable to being in the moment as an athlete. Those feelings never fade no matter how many tough blows are thrown our way. To quote the Clipper, we may have some bad breaks but we have an awful lot to live for.
In honor of Leona Lewis' second single from her Echo album, here's my version of "I Got You"
A hero that lasts, I got Lou
No need to ask, I got Lou
Just get out the record book, I got Lou
Go and turn on the TV if I have to
What's weird about it
Is his legacy will never end
I'm glad about it
Just figured it out in my head
I'm proud to say, I got Lou
Go ahead and say goodbye
I'll be alright
Go ahead and make me cry
I'll be alright
And when you need a person to look up to
For better or worse, I got Lou
Ain't falling apart, or bitter
Let's be stronger than that and remember
This man lived before letting go
His famous speech in July
Was without drama, no need for a show
Just wanna say, I got Lou
Go ahead and say goodbye
I'll be alright
Go ahead and make me cry
I'll be alright
And when you need a person to look up to
For better or worse, I got Lou
'Cause this is love and life
And nothing we can both control
And if it don't feel right
You're not losing Lou by letting others in the know
Go ahead and say goodbye
I'll be alright
Go ahead and make me cry
I'll be alright
And when you need a person to look up to
For better or worse, I got Lou
A hero that lasts, I got Lou
No need to ask, I got Lou
Parting Points: Parting Points: The Yankees are on the verge of trading for Curtis Granderson. He was always one of my favorite centerfielders.
Showing posts with label Lou Gehrig. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lou Gehrig. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Pipp’s Pull Proves Purposeful
Wally Pipp is best remembered as the man who lost his starting first base job to Lou Gehrig. The most famous headache in sports history occurred June 2, 1925. Pipp took himself out of the Yankee lineup that day due to a nagging noggin. The young, gifted Gehrig replaced him. Lou went on to play a record 2,130 consecutive games from that second day in June and Wally never saw another game at first base for New York.
It is funny how Pipp is part of the American lexicon. Nobody wants to be “a Wally Pipp” and have a permanent replacement simply because they miss a day of work. Today is Pipp’s birthday. It is also Michael Jordan’s birthday. Most of us would rather “be like Mike” than like Pipp.
Walter Clement Pipp was born in 1893. That seems like eons ago to me. He grew up near Kalamazoo, Michigan, like Derek Jeter. The Detroit Tigers signed the hometown boy in 1912 and he went 0-3 in his 1913 major league debut against the St. Louis Browns. Wally became a Yankee after being signed in the 1915 off-season. He singled in his first at-bat Opening Day. The opposing pitcher was Walter Johnson.
Tall and lanky, Pipp produced plenty of pop as part of the pinstripes’ famous, Murder’s Row team. His minor pitfall was being a free swinger and often leading the American League in strikeouts. Still, Wally held home run titles in back to back years (1916 & 1917) and was known for walloping his way triumphantly. Pipp matured at the plate in later years and became a disciplined hitter. In the 1920s, his strikeout totals dropped dramtically and his batting average climbed to as high as .329 in 1922. Double plays and putouts were his specialty at first base. Pipp possessed soft hands, a good glove and sizable range for a slick fielder. Wally had surprising speed and could fly around the bases brilliantly. He held the record for consecutive games before the Iron Horse set the standard. Ironically, Pipp recommended the Columbia University standout, Gehrig, to Miller Huggins and the Yankees. Pipp played for the Bronx Bombers from 1915 through 1925 before finishing his career in Cincinnati.
Wally’s headache on June 2 is how most baseball fans remember the former Yankee. He actually suffered such headaches throughout his life. Players in Pipp’s days were supposed to play through injuries and pain. Gehrig was ten years younger than Wally when Huggins installed him as Wally’s replacement and probably did not expect the move to be so impact. What would have happened if Wally’s world at first base in NY had not come to a crashing conclusion that summer afternoon? What a Pipp that Wally was to remove himself!
Parting points: “I don’t want to be your monkey wrench”
It is funny how Pipp is part of the American lexicon. Nobody wants to be “a Wally Pipp” and have a permanent replacement simply because they miss a day of work. Today is Pipp’s birthday. It is also Michael Jordan’s birthday. Most of us would rather “be like Mike” than like Pipp.
Walter Clement Pipp was born in 1893. That seems like eons ago to me. He grew up near Kalamazoo, Michigan, like Derek Jeter. The Detroit Tigers signed the hometown boy in 1912 and he went 0-3 in his 1913 major league debut against the St. Louis Browns. Wally became a Yankee after being signed in the 1915 off-season. He singled in his first at-bat Opening Day. The opposing pitcher was Walter Johnson.
Tall and lanky, Pipp produced plenty of pop as part of the pinstripes’ famous, Murder’s Row team. His minor pitfall was being a free swinger and often leading the American League in strikeouts. Still, Wally held home run titles in back to back years (1916 & 1917) and was known for walloping his way triumphantly. Pipp matured at the plate in later years and became a disciplined hitter. In the 1920s, his strikeout totals dropped dramtically and his batting average climbed to as high as .329 in 1922. Double plays and putouts were his specialty at first base. Pipp possessed soft hands, a good glove and sizable range for a slick fielder. Wally had surprising speed and could fly around the bases brilliantly. He held the record for consecutive games before the Iron Horse set the standard. Ironically, Pipp recommended the Columbia University standout, Gehrig, to Miller Huggins and the Yankees. Pipp played for the Bronx Bombers from 1915 through 1925 before finishing his career in Cincinnati.
Wally’s headache on June 2 is how most baseball fans remember the former Yankee. He actually suffered such headaches throughout his life. Players in Pipp’s days were supposed to play through injuries and pain. Gehrig was ten years younger than Wally when Huggins installed him as Wally’s replacement and probably did not expect the move to be so impact. What would have happened if Wally’s world at first base in NY had not come to a crashing conclusion that summer afternoon? What a Pipp that Wally was to remove himself!
Parting points: “I don’t want to be your monkey wrench”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
