Lou Gehrig's farewell speech in Yankee Stadium in 1939 3

Sorry folks, it was just a speech.

Gehrig's very legitimate and often spectacular accomplishments as a player have always been diminished by the maudlin excesses over this event.

Let me make my position clear. I think Gehrig is the best first baseman of all time, despite strong competition from Foxx, and Greenberg, and a monster early career by Pujols. That status doesn't make his closing speech a great moment.

His hitting four dingers in a game was, something only 14 players in baseball history have done. Although, with his usual luck it got upstaged by John McGraw retiiring on the same day.

Yankee fans should stop holding the wake.