Take a look at Lou Gehrig’s famous “Luckiest Man” speech from 70 years ago, in its entirety. Then take a look at a copy editor’s small revisions and decide for yourself which one is better.

Gehgrig’s speech, as given at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939:

Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for 17 years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day?
Sure, I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert; also the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow; to have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins; then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology — the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Who wouldn’t feel honored to have roomed with such a grand guy as Bill Dickey?

Sure, I’m lucky. When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift — that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies — that’s something.

When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles against her own daughter — that’s something. When you have a father and mother who work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body — it’s a blessing! When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed — that’s the finest I know.
So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I have an awful lot to live for! Thank you.

Editor’s small revision of Gehrig’s speech:

Sure, I’m lucky. I have been in ballparks for 17 years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

(Gesturing toward his teammates) Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day?

Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert; or the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, general manager Ed Barrow; to have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins; then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology — the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Who wouldn’t feel honored to have roomed with such a grand guy as Bill Dickey?

When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift — that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and ushers remember you with trophies — that’s something.

When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles against her own daughter — that’s something. When you have a father and mother who work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body — it’s a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed — that’s the finest I know.

For the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got, but I still have an awful lot to live for, and today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.