The Annual Reminder

 

It's July 4.

If you're keeping track, our little ol' US of A is 248 years old. Huzzah.

It's also the 85th anniversary of Lou Gehrig's speech. I've spoken so many times about what Gehrig has meant to me. He was a man of dignity, grace, power, and strength. He was fiercely loyal to his teammates, his parents, and his beloved wife Eleanor. He was everything that was great about athletes in that you loved him on and off the field.

Yet faced with the greatest battle of all -- knowing he was going to die of the disease that was ravaging his body -- the shy 36-year-old stepped to the microphone on "Lou Gehrig Day" against his better wishes. Eleanor had helped him initially with some thoughts in case he decided to speak. However, he had no desire to as the ceremony went on and he sobbed as he was presented with gifts throughout.

Eventually, Yankees manager Joe McCarthy nudged his former star to the mic. An announced crowd of 61,808 leaned forward. Scribes did the same in the press box.

Finally, Gehrig spoke. And he spoke those words...

"For the past two weeks, you have been reading about the bad break.

"Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth."

How does one have that grace? How, then, does he conjure this to wrap up?

"...that I may have been given a bad break, but I have an awful lot to live for. Thank you."

We were lucky if we saw you or lived during your time, Lou. We're still lucky to tell your stories and know you were real.

*****

As I wrote yesterday, this great American holiday will consist of lots of burgers, dogs, beverages, gatherings, a baseball game or so, and loud noises tonight.

In fact, I'll be handling PA duties as well as producing the booth for tonight's Cyclones/Renegades game in Wappingers Falls. As I've mentioned, fireworks become a little less of a thing when you work in minor league baseball because you see them so often. Oh, don't get me wrong. It's for the fans and they love it.

It's especially for the kids and that's exactly what baseball needs to cultivate. We need the younger generation to become galvanized by the game.

Fireworks in my family weren't a big thing. Once in a while, someone would have a pack that they bought in South Carolina or Pennsylvania or whatever state would allow them. They'd get shot off on the street in front of the house and that would be that.

But, for my dad, they always came with the warning, "You be DAMN careful."

As you can see from that yellowed newspaper clipping, my father, known as "Donald" to many but always introduced himself as "Bob," dealt with the obvious bad side of fireworks when handled improperly. Based on his age (six) in this paper, I figured it had to have happened in 1936. Either way, it obviously made him very nervous around fireworks for the rest of his life.

So when I see clowns hung up on posting memes and I know they'll post something about Jason Pierre-Paul, the former Giants defensive end, I just roll my eyes. Pierre-Paul lost a finger in a fireworks mishap in 2015. 

Sorry. I have a sense of humor but maybe some dead horses need to be let go.

Or maybe I just have a problem with the person posting the memes. 

And the people who enable him.

Constantly.

The point is, be safe tonight. Have fun.