Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech was what his biographer called “baseball’s Gettysburg Address.” I consider it one of the greatest modern American speeches (ok, so he’s got MLK Jr., JFK, RFK, and couple more to beat but he is up there in the top 10).
Andre Agassi delivered a pretty good tear-jerker one last weekend:
“The scoreboard said I lost today, but what it doesn’t say is what it is I have found.
And over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I’ve found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed sometimes even in my lowest moments. And I’ve found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could have never reached without you.
Over the last 21 years, I have found you and I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life.
Thank you.”