Manalo 1 Taylor Manalo Professor Babcock ENGL 137H 12 October 2012 A Lucky Man A child who finds a penny

lying heads up on the ground. A woman who wins the lottery. A student who guesses correctly on a true or false exam question. A sports star who is diagnosed with a terminal illness. What do all of these people have in common? Luck. They are lucky. While the first three individuals strokes of luck are obvious, the fourth is unclear. Can a man whose athletic career is put to a sudden end really be considered lucky? In his farewell speech, Lou Gehrig, the famous Yankees legend who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mid-career, considers himself the luckiest man on the face of this earth (Gehrigs farewell: FINAL edition). Gehrig utilizes elements of rhetoric to convince his audience that his situation is not to be looked upon with sadness and despair; he incorporates his own circumstances to inspire his audience to remember that gratitude and hope can always prevail, even in the most difficult of times. Considering oneself lucky after such a devastating diagnosis is not typical; however, Lou Gehrig was not a typical individual. Nicknamed the Iron Horse because of his fortitude and perseverance, Gehrig played a consecutive 2,130 game-streak (Lou Gehrig: The Official Website). However, his baseball record was put to a quick and unexpected end in 1939 when he was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord that would never allow him to play baseball again (Creating a world without ALS). Although he was out of the game, he was certainly not out of the sport. After

Manalo 2 Gehrig received his diagnosis, Paul Gallico, a New York sports writer, proposed that the Yankees should have a day of recognition for the man who had committed so much of his life to baseball (Lou Gehrig: The Official Website). On July 4, 1939, a crowd of 62,000 fans gathered at Yankee stadium to honor Gehrig and to listen to his speech. While Gehrig could have easily mourned over his illness and said a sorrowful goodbye, he did just the opposite. In the wake of an incredibly difficult life circumstance, he was the epitome of gratitude and hope, and throughout his speech, he incorporated rhetorical appeals to remind his fans that nothing in life should ever be taken for granted. Lou Gehrigs character and credibility bolster the acceptance of his inspirational message, by both the fans present on the date of his delivery as well as the millions who would later be moved by his words. The date chosen to honor Lou Gehrig, Independence Day, as well as the All-American sport that he stands for, contribute to his overall image as a patriotic man. These factors establish his ethos before he even utters the first words of his infamous speech. Dressed in his Yankees uniform and standing before the crowd on his home field, Gehrig presents himself exactly as his fans know him; despite his newly discovered illness, he is still the man that everyone loves. His physical appearance shows his audience that he is still a Yankee, still a team player, and still just Lou. Although everyone is gathered in his honor, Gehrig does not place himself above his audience. He does not address his personal accomplishments. He does not talk about his years of success. He does not deliver a speech all about himself. Instead, he uses his situated ethos to relate to his audience and convey his message of hope. He establishes his credibility through his experiences in the baseball world by referring to the greats: Jacob Ruppert, Ed Barrow, Miller Huggins, and Joe McCarthy. By acknowledging the accomplishments of the grand men with whom he has played and worked,

Manalo 3 Gehrig indirectly proves his success in the baseball world (Gehrigs farewell: FINAL edition). However, his humble recognition of his commendable baseball status is just one example of his long-established situated ethos. The respect that he exudes for these great men proves that he, too, is a great man. A strong moral character, Lou Gehrig has no need to cast himself in a respectable light because his past actions, attitudes, and experiences have already proven his credibility. Ethos helps Gehrig to achieve the goal of his speech by placing him in a relatable position to his audience. His modest disposition allows listeners to realize that this great man is similar to each of them. If he can look past such a great struggle in his life, surely any individual can recognize hope in difficult times. Gehrigs speech resonates with America for years following its delivery; Chris Pendergast, a former schoolteacher in Miller Place, N.Y. who has battled A.L.S. for more than 16 years, tells New York Times author Ray Robinson, He taught me that the human spirit can transcend any affliction (Robinson). Gehrigs relatable character allows individuals beyond his immediate audience to understand his message; Gehrigs inspiration transcends boundaries of time and place, and his lesson of hope can be applied to all situations. Lou Gehrigs strong moral character and situated ethos enable him to present many logical arguments to support his main idea. Even prior to the delivery of his speech, he has already incorporated logic into his actions and character. Gehrig only played the first eight games of the 1939 Yankee season. After being commended by his teammates for a less-thancommendable play, Gehrig decided to pull himself from the teams lineup; he considered the talents of the team members and thought about the logistics: the team would be better off without him playing in the game. A rational man, Gehrig utilizes facts and historical examples to build up plausible support throughout his speech. Gehrig establishes luck as the enthymeme around

Manalo 4 which his logical examples are presented. After stating his position as the luckiest man on the face of this earth, he supports this claim with many brief illustrations to make his statement understandable to readers. He mentions the gift that he received from The New York Giants as a specific instance of luck, and he notes the significant impact of the gift from the Yankees rival team when he says, thats something. Also, throughout his discourse, Gehrig presents a list of specific individuals with whom he worked. He acknowledges the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats as individuals who contribute to his luck by commending his greatness, and he also uses his interactions with other baseball icons to capitalize on his luck. While the grand men that he references add to the ethos of Gehrigs speech, they also support logos (Gehrigs farewell: FINAL edition). Gehrig lists these men, as well as short descriptions of their credentials, as examples of his strokes of luck, and these examples contribute to the inductive strategy that Gehrig uses to reach the conclusion that he still has a lot to live for. Gehrig incorporates aspects of logos to build his argument, and he factually presents reasons why he is optimistic in such difficult times. The presentation of logical appeals allows his audience to realize that his gratitude is rooted; he is able to feel humility as well as hope because of a sound list of reasons. Ethos and logos work together to establish strong support for Gehrigs appeal, but the emotional layers of his situation and his words allow the speech to transform his audiences mood from despairing to hopeful. Gehrig incorporates honorific language to establish his initial emotional appeals. He expresses gratitude, respect, humility, and love to reach the members of his audience. Individuals in the crowd may have felt pity or sympathy at the beginning of the day, but Gehrigs words inspire a change in their beliefs. In order to create a strong argument, an individual must be passionate about his position. He cannot simply want to change an

Manalo 5 audiences perception; he must be the person that he wants others to be. He must not only know his words, but he must feel them and emulate all that they stand for. Gehrig defines pathos in both his argument and his presentation. The tears that he sheds are not of sadness, but of remembrance; they carry emotion, but not the negative kind. By standing tall and using a loud voice, Gehrig effectively conveys hope to his audience. Throughout his speech, audience members cannot help but note his inspirational tone, and the impact that he leaves through his words is so powerful: "The speech was one of the game's and even one of America's last, pure moments of heroism, says Jonathan Eig, author of The New York Times best-selling book, Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig (OConnor). Gehrigs genuine emotions bridge the gap between his greatness and his audience, and he is recognized as a hero because he is able to reach such a wide range of people with his message. He humbles himself through his honorific language, and he delineates aspects of his life for which he is grateful: family, friends, and opportunities all of which are familiar to the entire audience. The support that he has received from his parents, his mother-in-law, and his wife demonstrate that Gehrig is not just a baseball player; he is also a husband, a son, and an average American man. Gehrigs sentiments reach beyond the field and into family life, evoking attention from the audience. All men, women, and children gathered in the stands can relate to the emotional relationships that Gehrig has shared in some way, and the fact that Gehrig takes time to appreciate the people and influences in his life make the speech all the more emotionally appealing. The audience members are directed from sadness to gratitude; they recognize that although Lou Gehrig is near the end of his life, he still experiences hope. Gehrigs expressive appeals serve as a reminder to his audience to be grateful for everything in life. Gehrig takes an emotional situation rooted in sadness and grief and turns it into an emotional event filled with joy and hope. In his closing

Manalo 6 lines, he addresses his tough break, but he also recognizes that there is still so much good to live for. The use of present tense with which he concludes his speech emphasizes his hope, as he acknowledges that he is still living his life, and in doing so, he instills hope in his audience. Lou Gehrigs strong societal image, cogent support, and affecting words transform his audiences perception of his own personal situation as well as of the bigger picture: life. The baseball legend experienced a devastating end to both his career and ultimately his life, yet he managed to keep a positive mindset through to the end. While Lou Gehrig may have considered himself lucky, his luck was not the only thing that he had going for him. Gehrig may have been blessed with amazing relationships and experiences, but his attitude was far more influential than any form of luck. Gehrig was able to see hope even in an extreme circumstance; he is a role model, not only to the audience present on July 4, 1939, but also to the audience that he has connected with for many generations even after he has passed away. Gehrigs goal in his speech was to remind his audience that gratitude and hope are two of the most powerful forces in the world. When faced with a difficult situation, one must ask, What would Lou do? Lou Gehrig was told that he was going to die, yet he was constantly thankful for all that he had to live for. While we may sometimes get lucky in life, other times luck might just pass us by. In those situations, will we let doubt and despair take over? Or will we remember that attitude is everything? Instead of focusing on all that goes wrong, we must remember Lou Gehrigs message: be grateful for all that has gone right, and be hopeful for all that is to come.

Manalo 7 Works Cited Creating a world without ALS. The ALS Association, 2010. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.alsa.org>. Gehrig's farewell: FINAL edition. The Gazette 6 Sept. 1995: E1. LexisNexis. Web. 04 Oct. 2012. Lou Gehrig: The Official Website. Rip Van Winkle Foundation, 30 Sept. 2003. Web. 30 Sept. 2012. <http://www.lougherig.com>. O'Connor, Joe. Words to live by; the farewell speech given by a terminally ill Lou Gehrig still stands today as one of the greatest in American history. National Post 4 July 2009: S5. LexisNexis. Web. 04 Oct. 2012. Robinson, Ray. "70 Years Later, Gehrig's Speech Still Resonates With Inspiration." The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 June 2009. Web. 3 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/sports/baseball/28gehrig.html?_r=1&>.