The Leadership of Lou Gehrig: Baseball's Opening Day Reflection

---

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

---

As the 2012 season opens for Major League Baseball, we would do well to reflect on the life of Lou Gehrig—not only because he was one of the greatest players on the field, but because of the greatness of character the Iron Horse displayed off the field.

I have spent many days at Yankee Stadium with my son Austin while he was growing up, enjoying regular season games, playoffs and even the World Series. These games—Austin wore the jersey of his favorite player, Paul O’Neill as I wore the jersey of my all time favorite, Lou Gehrig—provided many memories and a special father/son bond.

Aside from these memories with my son, my past experience as a confidant to the New York Yankees in the 1980's and authoring a book titled And on the Eighth Day God Created the Yankees during that time make baseball a special part of my life. In the book is one of my favorite photos of Lou Gehrig signing his 1937 contract for $37,700 while Jacob Ruppert, Joe McCarthy and Joe DiMaggio look on.

The Character of Lou Gehrig—The Iron Horse

Immortalized as the Pride of the Yankees, Lou Gehrig's durability and dedication are reflected in his playing in 2,130 consecutive games between 1925-1939. Complimenting this streak, his record of 23 career grand slams still stands today. He had a .340 lifetime batting average, won the American League MVP Award in 1927 & 1936 and was a Triple Crown winner in 1934.

The character of Lou Gehrig was exemplified throughout his life, beginning with his humble upbringing in New York City, his college career at Columbia University and throughout his years with the New York Yankees. His character is most remembered through the memory of July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day at Yankee Stadium. Lou, after a lifetime of contributing to the game of baseball as a player, was only 36 years old and dying. More than 61,000 fans listened to his words—one of the greatest messages of character America has ever heard:

"For the past two weeks, you've been reading about a bad break. Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth."

Perhaps Richard Vidmer, a reporter covering the story the next day for the Herald Tribune, expressed it best:

"Somehow I felt that at the Stadium yesterday not a great baseball player but a truly great sportsman who could take his triumphs with sincere modesty and could face tragedy with a smile. His records will attest to future generations that Lou Gehrig was one of the greatest baseball players who ever lived, but only those who have been fortunate enough to have known him during his most glorious years will realize that he has stood for something finer than merely a great baseball player—that he stood for everything that makes sports important in the American scene."

Lou Gehrig - Pride of the Yankees (2:53) Lou Gehrig - The Iron Horse (5:21)

<a HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vya1NrHyXE">Play the clip on YouTube</A>

READ MORE

Blog—Transforming Major League Baseball	Click here to visit site
Blog—Baseball Steroid Scandal: Jason Giambi Admits Use	Click here to visit site

Jury Finds Virginia Tech Negligent in April 2007 Shooting Tragedy

Over the past five years I have worked diligently to prevent campus violence by addressing the failures of Virginia Tech with the April 2007 tragedy that left 32 people dead and many others injured.

On March 14, 2012 a jury found Virginia Tech negligent in their response to the tragedy and families seeking truth, accountability and consequences had their perseverence served with the verdict. Celeste Petersen, mother of Erin Petersen who was killed stated, "We wanted truth from the beginning and we got it. All I know is today we got what we wanted."

This verdict is not only a moral victory for the families but a reminder that sound leadership, competence and judgement are required for all entrusted with protecting educational communities.

Aside from this decision, a Federal Report also stated Virginia Tech failed to warn the campus as memorialized in my previous blog:

Federal Report: Virginia Tech Violated Law Failing to Warn the Campus

December 11, 2011 Blog

Since the April 16, 2007 tragedy, I have stated emphatically in my presentations, blogs, response and newest book Listen To Their Cries, that Virginia Tech failed their community with an inexcusable response to the tragedy. Essentially, I have expressed their response as a failure of judgment, competence and leadership that allowed more than two hours to pass after the first killings before issuing an alert to their campus. Compounding this failure was another clear expression of egregious negligence, their warning was vague. The results were the senseless and preventable deaths of 30 more community members after the first two murders and many additional injuries.

On December 9, 2010 my teachings on the failure of Virginia Tech were affirmed by the findings of the United States Department of Education’s report and were published in reports throughout the nation.

Reprinted From Google News

Feds: Va. Tech broke law in '07 shooting response

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Federal education officials have found Virginia Tech broke the law when it waited two hours to warn the campus that a gunman was on the loose, too late to save 30 students and faculty who went to class and were killed in the 2007 rampage.

The U.S. Department of Education issued a report Thursday rejecting the university's defense of its conduct and confirming that the school violated the Clery Act, which requires that students and employees be notified of on-campus threats.

The report concludes that the university failed to issue a timely warning to the Blacksburg campus after student Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed two students in a dormitory early on the morning of April 16, 2007.

"Virginia Tech's failure to issue timely warnings about the serious and ongoing threat deprived its students and employees of vital, time-sensitive information and denied them the opportunity to take adequate steps to provide for their own safety," the report stated.

Virginia Tech officials did not send an e-mail to the campus community about the shootings until two hours later, about the time Cho was chaining shut the doors to a classroom building where he killed 30 more students and faculty, then himself.

It is my hope that this United States Department of Education report serves truth, accountability and consequences and that these issues are further served by the pending lawsuits against the university by victims of the tragedy.

READ MORE

USDOE Report	Click here to visit site
Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide For Schools And Communities	Click here to visit site
The Handbook for Campus Crime Reporting	Click here to visit site
Virginia Tech Blogs	Click here to visit site