Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-05
DETROIT
JUNE 5. I94I
f~---
Character
Made Gehrig
Great Man q
Lou Modest, ChivaIrous;
Every Tribute Sincere
BY WESTBROOK PEGEER

BY WESTBROOk PEGEER
THE rest of us, or most OF the
rest of us. might well take TO
heart as. of course, we will not,
the fact that Lou Gehrig, when
he came TO die, was given miles
of white paper covered with the
tenderest tributes, for his obitu-
airy, principally because he was
a decent man.
1t is true that he had been a
famous ball player. and that IL
he had not been such he might
have lived and died unknown
beyond some little circle.
But Lou was great with mod
esty and chivalry. a brave but
gentle giant in body and soul,
and you may believe that every
tribute 10 him written and
spoken on the day after his
death was absolutely sincere.
There was no discount, no re-
straint.
The boys all gave Lou every
thing they had, and YOU could
just see them paving around
on the keyboard for special WAYS
OF saying how they admired and
loved the Iron Horse.
Is character then SO rare that
L a good man merits such trib- .
utes merely because he has been,
good? v
Well what would you sayr
Who else can you name TO your
self. in sport or public life in
all the world. whose death today
would evoke such sincere praise
and sorrow tomorrow ?
Now GehrigS death would
have commanded considerable
wordage had ne not been the
man he was.
He was one Of the greatest
baseball players Of all time. ne
made many records and much
money. and his Illness was a
tragedy.
But there have been others
almost as great, if not quite his
equal. and honest men and
wholesome, too. who will be laid
away with adequate ceremonies,
whereas you probably have seen
the mournful effect of LOUIS
passing on men who are ordina-
rily more than generous TO the
departed.
What, then. did Lou have that
others didn't have or haven't
/ got? He was no baby-kiSSer. He
was a frugal man among men
/ who sometimes ridicule fru-
galiiy. His athletic greatness
didn't touch these people so.
for we have had many great
ones since the beginning OF the
era of wonderful nonsense.
He even lacked a full share
Of that trait known 10 the sport
business as showmanShip or
color.
/ find in all the pieces written
about him when il was known
that he had died, as / find in
this effort now, a fumbling and
rather abashed attempt 10
honor Gehrig. because he was a
man Of fine character. and this
naturally suggests that the hui.
man race must be in a rathe /,
bad way.
DILL G0Rt,M of The New
- York Journal and Ameri-
can used 10 write occasionally
Of the time when the kid showed
up al New Orleans for his first
training camp, 50 poor that he
was planning 10 live on about
$40 until the pay days began
and was put on the pay roll. TO
his surprise ana great scsip5. be-
cause his parents needed money
home.
Gehrig was the same kid. de-
voted 10 his duty and absolutely
without vanity. when he had
been a star for years that he
was the day he reported for his
first job.
He inspired others and made
them envious Of his fineneSS. but
no man ever was jealous Of him.
and If he ever had an enemy /
never heard his name
And here | am. too. still
fumbling in an attempt 10 find
words with which TO appreciate
a man and player, and com
ing 10 the end of the piece with
nothing better 10 offer than
something about character
That was what il was that
made Gehrig great above and
beyond his size and achieve
ments. and il is no credit 10
the breed that so many OF us
are so unlike this fine man that
we must stand in such awe of
his simple virtues.
Copyrighted By United Features synd Inc
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