John F. Kennedy's The Decision to Go to the Moon

Millions of Americans craned their necks to see the Soviet satellite Sputnik race across the ink black sky in October of 1957, marking the start of the space race.  Many more heard about the first Russian's space flight in April of 1961.  Premier Krushchev, with the accomplishment, boasted that socialism had conquered democracy.  However, on May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech announcing that the United States would put a man on the moon by the end of the decade, a feat that seemed next to impossible at the time.  On July 20, 1969, with Neil Armstrong's words "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," Kennedy's promise came true.

Here is an excerpt from Kennedy's historic speech:

But why some say the moon?  Why choose this as a goal?  And they may ask why climb the highest mountain?  Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic?  Why does Rice play Texas?  We choose to go to the moon.  We choose to go to the moon in this decade and to do other things, not because they are easy but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/

Chief Joseph's Surrender Speech

Route of Chief Joseph and Nez Perce tribe courtesy http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/america/indians/tribes/graphics/joseph-map.gif

After a fierce battle between the Indians and the Whites, where the Indians had incurred many fatalities, Chief Joseph was tired of fighting.  The American government gave the Chief and his Nez Perce tribe the ultimatum:  move onto the reserve or face retribution.  Chief Joseph, desiring peace, agreed.  However, some of his tribesmen didn't agree and killed four white men.  Facing a backlash, Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce tribe travelled 1700 miles seeking amnesty in Canada, with the American Army at their heals.  About 40 miles from the Canadian border, on October 5, 1877, Chief Joseph was outrun by the Army at Bear Paw Mountains in Montana Territory.  There, knowing he was a dying breed, he gave his surrender speech:

"Tell General Howard I know his heart.  What he told me before, I have it in my heart.  I am tired of fighting.  Our chiefs are killed; Looking Glass is dead; Ta Hool Hool Shute is dead.  The old men are all dead.  He who led on the young men is dead.  It is cold; and we have no blankets; the little children are freezing to death.  My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food.  No one knows where they are; perhaps freezing to death.  I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find.  Maybe I shall find them among the dead.  Hear me, my Chiefs!  I am tired; my heart is sick and sad.  From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever." (http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/)

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/

Charles DeGaulle's "Appeal of 18 June"

In June of 1940, the Paris streets were filled with people fleeing the city by car, by train, by bus or by bicycle, including authors H. A. and Margret Rey (http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2012/10/october-21.html).  The Nazis were at the gates of the City of Light, ready to crush any resisters.  Prime Minister Paul Reynaud resigned, essentially giving up the fight.  Disappointed, General Charles DeGaulle refused to give up on his city and his country.  Leader of the Free French Forces, he fled to England on the 15th of the month where he delivered a passionate speech on the BBC radio.  

"But has the last word been said?  Must hope disappear?  Is defeat final?  No!  Believe me, I am speaking to you with full knowledge of the facts and who can tell you that nothing is lost for France.  The same means that overcame us can bring us victory one day.  For France is not alone!  She is not alone!  She has a vast Empire behind her.  She can align with the British Empire that holds the sea and continues to fight.  She can, like England, use without limit the immense industry of the United States." (http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/)

The Free Forces, operating out of England, gradually took over colonial outposts in Africa (l'Armee d'Afrique).  They joined forces with the French Free Forces to form L'Armee Francaise de la liberation.  Multiplying to 400,000 strong by D-Day in 1944, they participated in the Normandy landings and the invasion of Southern France, culminating with the liberation of Paris.  Charles DeGaulle, who had inspired the movement, headed up the new post war government. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_France)

Crowd members hold up sign saying "Vive de Gaulle" on Liberation Day in August of 1944 courtesy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_France#/media/File:Crowds_of_French_patriots_line_the_Champs_Elysees-edit2.jpg.

Lou Gehrig's Farewell to Baseball

"He was a symbol of indestructibility -- a Gibraltar in cleats." (Jim Murray)

Sixty thousand fans gathered at Yankee Stadium on a steamy day in July of 1939.  Mayor LaGuardia was there.  So too was Babe Ruth.  The fans, all waiting to hear what the man at the microphone was about to say, chanted:  "We want Lou!  We want Lou!"  He stood at home plate, wiping the tears from his eyes, hesitant.  The coach patted his shoulder and whispered something in his ear.  In a heavy New York accent, the Yankee first baseman started his speech.  "The clangy iron echo of Yankee Stadium picked up the sentence that poured from the loudspeakers and hurled it forth to the world:  'I am the luckiest man on earth...'" (http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11159148/mlb-lou-gehrig-farewell-speech-75-years-later)

Thirty six year old Lou Gehrig had just been diagnosed with ALS, a disease that would cut his life short by decades.  Yet, here was baseball's superstar announcing to the world that he was "the luckiest man on earth".   Rather than focussing on his disease, he was counting his blessings:  the 2130 consecutive games he had played in his professional baseball career, the 147 RBI average, 

and the 15 stolen bases.  "He was a symbol of indestructibility -- a Gibraltar in cleats." (http://www.lougehrig.com/about/farewell.html)

Lou Gehrig was born and raised in New York City.  He used to swim across the Hudson River to New Jersey, although he never strayed far from his roots.  He was a self proclaimed momma's boy.  It was only his future wife, Eleanor, who was able to cut the apron strings.  By all accounts he was a good husband and father.  

Lou Gehrig's fans thought he would play baseball forever.  He was "the emblem of the Yankees", clinching six World Series titles during his career.  Yet, on that day in 1939, he stood before the microphone, and announced to the world that he was retiring from the game.  He explained that "he had so much to live for", intending on fighting the dreaded disease.  However, in 1941, he succumbed to ALS, now called Lou Gehrig's Disease.  

Note:  

1.  For more information, read Luckiest Man by Jonathan Eig.  

2.  To read "Baseball's Gettysburg Address", visit http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/.

http://adamport.com/3626/legendary-icons-series/

Herb Brooks' Miracle on Ice Speech

"You were born to be hockey players -- every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight." (Herb Brooks)

The Soviets had dominated men's Olympic hockey for decades, winning gold every every time from 1956 to 1976 except for once.  Now, they were facing the underdog Americans, made up of nothing but amateurs, fully expecting to defeat them.  Sports columnist Dave Anderson wrote:  "Unless the ice melts or unless the United States team or another team performs a miracle, as did the American squad in 1960, the Russians are expected to easily win the Olympic gold medal for the sixth time in the last seven tournaments."

But you couldn't rule out the fact that the Americans were playing on home ice.  More importantly, there was something different about this team, a completely revamped squad with only one player from the 1976 Olympics.   Coach Herb Brooks sensed this, reflected in his pre-game speech:

"Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here tonight, boys.  That's what you've earned here tonight.  One game:  if we play them ten times, they might win nine.  But not this game, not tonight.  Tonight, we skate with them.  Tonight, we stay with them and we shut them down because we can.  Tonight we are the greatest hockey team in the world.  You were born to be hockey players -- every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight.  This is your time.  Their time is done.  It's over.  I'm sick and tired of hearing what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw 'em.  This is your time.  Now go out there and take it."

Phil Esposito's Rant at 1972 Summit Series

Everyone of us guys, thirty five guys, who came out to play for Team Canada, we did it because we love our country and not for any other reason. (Phil Esposito)



Canada had just taken a beating by the Soviets in Game 4 of the 1972 Series.  The stadium was filled with boos as Phil Esposito and his teammates exited the ice.  Esposito, discouraged by the loss, delivered a speech that rallied his team, proving to be the turning point in the series.  The following game, held in Moscow, Canada came out fighting and never looked back.  Here is an excerpt from the speech, caught on microphone by reporter Johnny Esaw:

"For the people across Canada, we tried.  We gave it our best.  For the people who booed us, all of us guys are really disheartened and we're disillusioned and we're disappointed in some of the people.  We cannot believe the bad press we've got, the booing we've gotten in our own buildings.  If the Russian fans boo their players like some of the Canadian fans -- I'm not saying all of them -- some of them booed us, then I'll come back and apologize to each and every Canadian.  But I don't think they will.  I'm really, really.  I'm really, really disappointed.  I am completely disappointed.  I cannot believe it.  Some of our guys are really down in the dumps.  We know -- we're trying.  What the hell -- we're doing the best we can.  They've got a good team and let's face facts.  But it doesn't mean we're not giving it our 150 per cent because we certainly are...

Everyone of us guys, thirty five guys, who came out to play for Team Canada, we did it because we love our country and not for any other reason.  They can throw the money for the pension fund out the window.  They can throw anything they want out the window -- we came because we love Canada.  And even though we play in the United States and we earn money in the United States, Canada is still our home and that's the only reason we come.  And I don't think it's fair that we should be booed."

http://www.1972summitseries.com/espospeech.html

President Barack Obama's "This is Your Victory"

Two hundred and forty thousand people assembled in Chicago's Grant Park to hear Barack Obama deliver his victory speech after the 2008 election.  He would not be the first president to hail from Chicago (Lincoln preceded him), he would not be the first youthful president (remember JFK?) but he would be America's first black President.  Here is an excerpt from the brilliant speech that he delivered on that fateful night:

"This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations.  But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta.  She's a lot like millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing:  Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.  

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.  

And tonight I think about all she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't; and the people that pressed on with that American creed:  Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot.  Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose.  Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved.  Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome.  Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.  

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far.  We have seen so much.  But there is so much more to do.  So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see?  What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call.  This is our moment."

(https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/marie-claire/news-and-views/latest/a/18672507/the-most-inspirational-speeches-of-all-time/)

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/obama.transcript/