July 4, 1939. In front of more than 60,000 fans, Lou Gehrig steps up to the microphone. The “Iron Horse” had played in 2,130 consecutive games for the New York Yankees, manning first base in the Bronx for 17 seasons. But because of a debilitating yet little-known illness, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (or ALS), Gehrig’s career is forced to come to an end. So on this day, “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day,” he’s asked to give an impromptu speech to thank Yankee fans for their years of support. Gehrig was legendarily shy—he never sought the spotlight—but what followed became one of the most famous speeches in American history. Today, how did Lou Gehrig become a legend in his own time? And what did it mean to have an athlete suffering from ALS consider himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth”? Special thanks to Jonathan Eig, journalist and author of Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.