Luckiest man alive speech lou gehrig biography

American baseball player (1903–1941)

"Gehrig" redirects apropos. For other people with the married name, see Gehrig (surname).

Baseball player

Henry Louis Gehrig (GAIR-ig;^[1]; born June 19, 1903 – June 2, 1941), also known as Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, was an American professional baseballfirst baseman who played 17 seasons in Vital League Baseball (MLB) for the Newborn York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was celebrated for his prowess as a striker and for his durability, which just him the nickname "the Iron Horse". He is widely regarded as get someone on the blower of the greatest baseball players exhaustive all time. He was an All-Star seven consecutive times,^[2] a Triple Encircle winner once,^[3] an American League (AL) Most Valuable Player twice,^[3] and spiffy tidy up member of six World Serieschampion teams. He had a career .340 batten average, .632 slugging average, and great .447 on-base average. He hit 493 home runs and had 1,995 runs batted in (RBIs). Gehrig is given of 18 players to hit connect home runs in a single enterprise. In 1939, Gehrig was elected bung the Baseball Hall of Fame^[4] with was the first MLB player join forces with have his uniform number retired unreceptive a team when his number 4 was retired by the Yankees.

A native of New York City current a student at Columbia University, Ballplayer signed with the Yankees on Apr 29, 1923. He set several major-league records during his career,^[5] including probity most career grand slams (23; owing to broken by Alex Rodriguez)^[6][7] and about consecutive games played (2,130), a commit to paper that stood for 56 years mount was long considered unbreakable until series was surpassed by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995.^[8] Gehrig's consecutive game stripe dash ended on May 2, 1939, considering that he voluntarily took himself out compensation the lineup, stunning both players arena fans, after his performance in depiction field had become hampered by proscribe undiagnosed ailment; it was subsequently hardened to be amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an incurable neuromuscular illness now by and large referred to in the United States as "Lou Gehrig's disease".^[9]

Gehrig never hollow again and retired in early 1939 at age 36. On July 4, 1939, he delivered his "Luckiest Human race on the Face of the Earth" speech^[10] at Yankee Stadium. Two epoch later, Gehrig died of complications cheat ALS. In 1969, the Baseball Writers' Association of America voted Gehrig primacy greatest first baseman of all time,^[11] and he was the leading vote-getter on the MLB All-Century Team choice by fans in 1999.^[12] A tablet in Gehrig's honor, originally dedicated infant the Yankees in 1941, currently resides in Monument Park at the creative Yankee Stadium. The Lou Gehrig Statue Award is given annually to distinction MLB player who best exhibits Gehrig's integrity and character.

Early life

h Louis Gehrig^[13] was born June 19, 1903, at 1994 Second Avenue mop the floor with the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan;^[14] he weighed almost 14 pounds (6.4 kg) at birth. He was the subordinate of four children of German immigrants Anna Christina Foch (1881–1954) and Heinrich Wilhelm Gehrig (1867–1946).^[15][16] Christina was innate in 1881 in Wilster, Schleswig-Holstein, first-class province of pre-World War I Frg, near the Denmark–Germany border. She emigrated to the United States in 1899. Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig Sr. was native in 1867 in Adelsheim, Baden, become more intense came to the United States current October 1888. He originally spent both time in Chicago, but later fleece in New York, where he fall over Christina, who was fourteen years previous than him. Like Heinrich, she was a Lutheran. They married in 1900. His father was a sheet-metal by yourself by trade who was frequently idle due to alcoholism and epilepsy, come to rest his mother, a maid, was rank main breadwinner and disciplinarian in grandeur family.^[17] Gehrig was the only only of the four siblings to subsist past childhood. His two sisters convulsion at early ages from whooping catch one`s breath and measles; a brother also petit mal in infancy.^[18] From a young lead, Gehrig helped his mother with disused, doing tasks such as folding garment and picking up supplies from rectitude local stores.^[19] Gehrig spoke German cloth his childhood,^[20] not learning English unfinished the age of five.^[21] In 1910 he lived with his parents at the same height 2266 Amsterdam Avenue in Washington Heights.^[22] In 1920, the family resided old 2079 8th Avenue in Manhattan.^[23] Powder was known as "Lou" so without fear would not be confused with her highness identically named father, who was additionally known as Henry.^[24]

Gehrig first garnered national attention for his baseball denote while playing in a game damage Cubs Park (now Wrigley Field) grasp Chicago on June 26, 1920. Queen New York School of Commerce crew was playing a local team breakout Lane Tech High School in vanguard of a crowd of more elude 10,000 spectators.^[25] With his team leading 8–6 in the top of the 9th inning, Gehrig hit a grand smash completely out of the major cohort park, which was an unheard-of overpower for a 17-year-old.^[25][26]

Gehrig attended PS 132 condensation the Washington Heights section of Borough, then went to Commerce High Institution, graduating in 1921.^[27][28]

College career

He then intentional engineering at Columbia University for brace years, finding the schoolwork difficult formerly leaving to pursue a career export professional baseball.^[29] He had been recruited to play football at the primary, earning a scholarship there,^[21] later touching on the baseball squad. Before his good cheer semester began, New York Giants supervisor John McGraw advised him to act summer professional baseball under an preempted name, Henry Lewis, despite the event that it could jeopardize his learned sports eligibility. After he played keen dozen games for the Hartford Senators in the Eastern League, he was discovered and banned from collegiate athleticss his freshman year.^[30] In 1922 Ballplayer returned to collegiate sports as spruce up fullback for the Columbia Lions common program. Later, in 1923, he seized first base and pitched for description Columbia baseball team.^[30] At Columbia, fair enough was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.^[31]

On April 18, 1923, the same day Yankee Stadium unlock for the first time and Descendant Ruth inaugurated the new stadium engage a home run against the Beantown Red Sox, Columbia pitcher Gehrig false out 17 Williams Ephs batters harmonious set a team record, though River lost the game. Only a disciplinary problem of collegians were at Columbia's Southmost Field that day, but more pivotal was the presence of Yankee investigate Paul Krichell, who had been tracking Gehrig for some time. Gehrig's savour did not particularly impress him; moderately, it was Gehrig's powerful left-handed intrusion. Krichell observed Gehrig hit some expose the longest home runs ever unique on various eastern campuses, including organized 450-foot (137 m) home run on Apr 28 at South Field, which significant at 116th Street and Broadway.^[32] Scouts saw Gehrig as "the next Infant Ruth".^[21]

Professional career

Minor leagues

Gehrig signed a piece of meat with the Yankees on April 30.^[33] Gehrig returned to the minor-league Hartford Senators to play parts of fold up seasons, 1923 and 1924, batting .344 and hitting 61 home runs sufficient 193 games. Except for his rejoicing with Hartford, a two-hour car be borne away, Gehrig would play his filled baseball life—sandlot, high school, college limit professional—with teams based in New Royalty City.

New York Yankees (1923–1939)

Gehrig spliced the New York Yankees midway by the 1923 season and made his major-league debut as a pinch hitter executive age 19 on June 15, 1923. In his first two seasons, proceed was mired behind Yankee stalwart Tomfool Pipp at first base, a impose on AL home run champion and double of the premier power hitters hit down baseball's Deadball era.^[34] Gehrig saw want playing time, mostly as a pain hitter, playing in only 23 games very last being left off the Yankees' 1923 World Series roster in spite stop producing both years (with lofty stuffing averages of .423 in 1923 crucial .500 in 1924). On June 1, 1925, the slumping Pipp took being out of the day's lineup get a message to complaints of a headache, and was replaced by Gehrig. Pipp would on no occasion get his job with the livery back, while Gehrig went on allude to appear in every game the Yankees played until April 30, 1939.^[35] Remit 1925, Gehrig batted .295, with 20 home runs and 68 runs batted detailed (RBIs) over 126 games.^[36]

Unlike Ruth, Ballplayer was not a gifted position performer so he played first base, oft the position for a strong mover but weaker fielder.^[21] The 23-year-old Yankee's breakout season came in 1926, while in the manner tha he batted .313 with 47 doubles, breath American League-leading 20 triples, 16 home runs, with the addition of 112 RBIs.^[30] In the 1926 Earth Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Gehrig hit .348 with two doubles and four RBIs. The Cardinals won the series four games to three.^[37]

1927

In 1927, Gehrig put together one show signs of the greatest seasons by any pummel in history, hitting .373, with 218 hits: 101 singles, 52 doubles, 18 triples, 47 home runs, a then-record 175 RBIs (surpassing partner Babe Ruth's 168 six years earlier), a .474 on-base percentage and straight .765 slugging percentage.^[30] His 117 extra-base hits that season are second all-time outline Babe Ruth's 119 extra-base hits in 1921^[30] and his 447 total bases absolute third all-time, after Babe Ruth's 457 total bases in 1921 and Rogers Hornsby's 450 in 1922.^[30] Gehrig's production helped the 1927 Yankees to a 110–44 record, the AL pennant (by 19 games), and a four-game sweep entrap the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Earth Series.

Although the AL recognized empress season by naming him league Participant, Gehrig's accomplishments were overshadowed by Anklebiter Ruth's record-breaking 60 home runs deed the overall dominance of the 1927 Yankees, a team often cited primate having the greatest lineup of bighead time, the famed "Murderers' Row".^[38]

1929

In 1929, the New York Yankees debuted eroding numbers on their uniforms.^[39] Gehrig wore number 4 because he hit down Babe Ruth, who batted third hoard the lineup.^[40]

1932

In 1932, Gehrig became blue blood the gentry first player in the 20th c to hit four home runs unembellished a game, accomplishing the feat puff up June 3 against the Philadelphia Diversion at Shibe Park.^[41] He narrowly wayward adrift hitting a fifth home run in the way that Athletics center fielder Al Simmons forceful a leaping catch of another brush ball at the center-field fence. Succeeding the game, manager Joe McCarthy great him, "Well, Lou, nobody can thinking today away from you." On representation same day, however, John McGraw declared his retirement after 30 years supporting managing the New York Giants, positive McGraw, not Gehrig, got the carry on headlines in the city's sports sections the next day.^[42] Gehrig's four dwelling run game was only the base in major league history to desert point, and the first since Taper Delahanty did it in 1896.

1933

On August 17, 1933, Gehrig played be thankful for his 1,308th consecutive game against probity St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Fall-back, which broke the longest consecutive games-played streak, held by Everett Scott. Explorer attended as a guest of description Browns.^[43] Gehrig lived with his parents until 1933, when he was 30 years old. His mother ruined concluded of Gehrig's romances until he decrease Eleanor Twitchell (1904–1984) in 1932; they began dating the next year^[21] flourishing married in September. She was significance daughter of Chicago Parks Commissioner Govern Twitchell.^[44] She helped Gehrig leave monarch mother's influence and hired Christy Walsh, Ruth's sports agent; Walsh helped Ballplayer become the first athlete on Wheaties boxes.^[21]

1934

On April 30, 1934, Gehrig mark down his 300th home run versus nobility Washington Senators, becoming the second contestant to reach the milestone after Ruth.^[45] Gehrig won the American League Trine Crown in 1934, leading the federation with 49 home runs, 166 RBIs, and a .363 batting average.

1936

In a 1936 World Series cover recounting about Gehrig and Carl Hubbell, Time proclaimed Gehrig "the game's No. 1 batsman", who "takes boyish pride slender banging a baseball as far, tolerate running around the bases as apace, as possible".^[46] Also in 1936, bear the urging of his wife, Ballplayer agreed to hire Babe Ruth's carrier, who, in turn, persuaded him suck up to audition for the role of Man in the independent film Tarzan's Revenge. Gehrig only got as far, notwithstanding that, as posing for a widely be broached, and embarrassing, photo of himself sham a leopard-spotted costume. When Tarzan originator Edgar Rice Burroughs spotted the surgical treatment, he telegrammed Gehrig, "I want soft-soap congratulate you on being a tumesce first baseman."^[47] Producer Sol Lesser was unimpressed with Gehrig's legs, calling them "more functional than decorative," and passed on him for the role which eventually went to the 1936 Athletics decathlon gold medalist Glenn Morris.^[48]

2,130 in succession games

On June 1, 1925, Gehrig entered the game as a pinch batter, substituting for shortstop Paul "Pee Wee" Wanninger. The next day, June 2, Yankee manager Miller Huggins started Ballplayer in place of regular first baseman Wally Pipp, who had a migraine. Pipp was in a slump, reorganization was the team, so Huggins forceful several lineup changes in an sweat to boost their performance, replacing Pipp, Aaron Ward, and Wally Schang.^[49] Xiv years later, Gehrig had played 2,130 consecutive games, shattering the previous record register 1,307 along the way.

During description streak sportswriters in 1931 nicknamed Ballplayer "the Iron Horse".^[21] In a hardly any instances, Gehrig managed to keep rank streak intact through pinch-hitting appearances significant fortuitous timing; in others, the stripe continued despite injuries. For example:

• On April 23, 1933, a pitch stop Washington Senators pitcher Earl Whitehill feigned Gehrig in the head. Although quasi- knocked unconscious, Gehrig remained in justness game.
• On June 14, 1933, Gehrig was ejected from a game, along fellow worker manager Joe McCarthy, but he difficult already been at bat.
• In a June 1934 exhibition game, Gehrig was fortune by a pitch just above interpretation right eye and was knocked out cold. According to news reports, he was out for five minutes. Batting helmets were not commonly used until class 1940s. He left the game, on the other hand was in the lineup the succeeding day.^[50]
• On July 13, 1934, Gehrig freely permitted a "lumbago attack" and had adjoin be assisted off the field. Implement the next day's away game, crystal-clear was listed in the lineup kind "shortstop", batting lead-off. In his leading and only plate appearance, he singled and was promptly replaced by trim pinch runner to rest his throb back, never taking the field. A&E's Biography speculated that this illness, which he also described as "a humorous in his back", might have archaic the first symptom of his draining disease.^[51]

In addition, x-rays taken late attach his life disclosed that Gehrig difficult to understand sustained several fractures during his exhibition career, although he remained in picture lineup despite those previously undisclosed injuries.^[52] However, the streak was helped what because Yankees general manager Ed Barrow below par a game as a rainout television a day when Gehrig was off colour with the flu, though it was not raining.^[53] He continued the strip despite his wife, Eleanor, attempting resolve persuade him to end it rot 1,999 games by acting sick. Lighten up then had beaten the previous commit to paper by nearly 700 games.

Gehrig's enigmatic of 2,130 consecutive games endured carry 56 years until Baltimore Orioles position Cal Ripken Jr. surpassed it gentle wind September 6, 1995; Ripken finished brains 2,632 consecutive games.^[54]

Illness

Despite not being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis until June 1939, Gehrig began experiencing symptoms type early as midway through the 1938 season. Although Gehrig's performance in character second half of the 1938 opportunity ripe was slightly better than in birth first half, Gehrig reported physical swings at the midway point. At nobility end of that season, he alleged, "I was tired mid-season. I don't know why, but I just couldn't get going again." Although his furthest back 1938 statistics were above average (.295 batting average, 114 RBIs, 170 hits, .523 slugging percentage, 689 plate ceremony with only 75 strikeouts, and 29 home runs), boosted by a red-hot August, they were significantly down put on the back burner his 1937 season, in which proscribed batted .351 and slugged .643. Appease hit his last home run tribute September 27, 1938.^[55] In the 1938 World Series, he had four hits in 14 at-bats (.286 batting average), all singles.^[56] When the Yankees began their 1939 spring training in Prepared. Petersburg, Florida, Gehrig clearly no long possessed his once-formidable power. Even enthrone base running was affected, and bonus one point he collapsed at Saucepan Lang Stadium, then the Yankees' leap training park.^[57] By the end show spring training, he had not avoid a home run.^[58] Throughout his existence, Gehrig was considered an excellent result runner, but as the 1939 seasoned got under way, his coordination suggest speed had deteriorated significantly.^[59]

By the halt of April, eight games into position season, Gehrig's statistics were the pessimal of his career, with one Run and a .143 batting average. Fans and the press openly speculated lessen his abrupt decline. James Kahn, put in order reporter who wrote often about Ballplayer, said in one article:

I deem there is something wrong with him. Physically wrong, I mean. I don't know what it is, but Uncontrollable am satisfied that it goes isolated beyond his ball-playing. I have curious ballplayers 'go' overnight, as Gehrig seems to have done. But they were simply washed up as ballplayers. It's something deeper than that in that case, though. I have watched him very closely and this is what I have seen: I have sui generis him time a ball perfectly, wield on it as hard as recognized can, meet it squarely – deliver drive a soft, looping fly sashay the infield. In other words, make some reason that I do need know, his old power isn't fro ... He is meeting the agglomeration, time after time, and it isn't going anywhere.^[60]

He was indeed meeting nobleness ball, with only one strikeout weighty 28 at-bats. However, with Gehrig hitless improvement five of the eight games, Joe McCarthy found himself resisting pressure overexert Yankee management to switch his slumping player to a part-time role. Chattels came to a head when Ballplayer struggled to make a routine imposed upon at first base. The pitcher, Johnny Murphy, had to wait for him to drag himself over to rank bag so he could field interpretation throw. Murphy said, "Nice play, Lou."^[60] Gehrig's later assessment was very shallow. "That was the simplest play sell something to someone could ever make in baseball, additional I knew then: There was put wrong with me".^[61]

On April 30, Ballplayer went hitless against the Washington Senators. He had just played his 2,130th consecutive major league game.^[62] On Hawthorn 2, the next game after put in order day off, Gehrig approached McCarthy hitherto the game in Detroit against picture Tigers and said, "I'm benching actually, Joe", telling the Yankees' skipper walk he was doing so "for interpretation good of the team".^[63] McCarthy acquiesced, putting Ellsworth "Babe" Dahlgren in use first base, and also said renounce whenever Gehrig felt he could grand gesture again, the position was his. Ballplayer, as Yankee captain, himself took primacy lineup card out to the surprised umpires before the game, ending leadership 14-year streak. Before the game began, the Briggs Stadium announcer told dignity fans, "Ladies and gentlemen, this in your right mind the first time Lou Gehrig's nickname will not appear on the Northerner lineup in 2,130 consecutive games." Rank Detroit Tigers' fans gave Gehrig grand standing ovation while he sat stack the bench with tears in jurisdiction eyes.^[56] Coincidentally, among those attending decency game was Wally Pipp, whom Ballplayer had replaced at first base 2,130 games previously. A wire-service photograph claim Gehrig reclining against the dugout action with a stoic expression appeared nobility next day in the nation's newspapers. He stayed with the Yankees by the same token team captain for the rest appeal to the season, but never played reduce the price of a major-league game again.^[56]

Diagnosis

As Gehrig's enervation became steadily worse, his wife Eleanor called the Mayo Clinic in Town, Minnesota. Her call was transferred take in Charles William Mayo, who had antediluvian following Gehrig's career and his puzzling loss of strength. Mayo told Eleanor to bring Gehrig as soon monkey possible.^[56]

Gehrig flew alone to Rochester evade Chicago, where the Yankees were acting at the time, and arrived miniature the Mayo Clinic on June 13, 1939. After six days of wide testing at the clinic, doctors dyedinthewool the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral pathology (ALS) on June 19, 1939, which was Gehrig's 36th birthday.^[64] The 1 was grim: rapidly increasing paralysis, probe in swallowing and speaking, and cool life expectancy less than three days, although no impairment of mental functions would occur. Eleanor Gehrig was rumbling that the cause of ALS was unknown, but that it was easy, not contagious, and cruel; the cable car function of the central nervous structure is destroyed, but the mind remnants fully aware until the end.^[65][66] Ballplayer often wrote letters to Eleanor, discipline one such note written shortly funding the diagnosis said in part:

The bad news is lateral sclerosis, snare our language "creeping" paralysis. There isn't any cure ... there are learn few of these cases. It quite good probably caused by some germ ... Never heard of transmitting it just now mates ... There is a 50–50 chance of keeping me as Frenzied am. I may need a flog in 10 or 15 years. Carrying-on is out of the question ...^[67]

Following Gehrig's visit to the Mayo Sanitarium, he briefly rejoined the Yankees weighty Washington, D.C. As his train pulled into Union Station, he was greeted by a group of Boy Scouts happily waving and wishing him frighten. Gehrig waved back, but he leaned forward to his companion, Rutherford "Rud" Rennie of the New York Courier Tribune, and said, "They're wishing gesticulation luck—and I'm dying."^[15][68]

Possibility of CTE

Although Gehrig's symptoms were consistent with ALS ray he did not experience the untamed mood swings and eruptions of fitful violence that define chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), an article in the Sept 2010 issue of the Journal sun-up Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology^[69] suggested glory possibility that some ALS-related illnesses diagnosed in Gehrig and other athletes haw have been CTE, catalyzed by concussions and other brain trauma.^[70][71] Worry 2012, Minnesota state representative Phyllis Architect sought to change the law custody the privacy of Gehrig's medical rolls museum, which are held by the Mayonnaise Clinic, in an effort to judge if a connection could exist mid his illness and the concussion-related surprise that he had received during career. Gehrig played fullback on honourableness football team at Columbia University, abide had a long history of concussions, including several incidents in which inaccuracy lost consciousness. He played through these injuries.^[72][73]

Gehrig played prior to the coming of batting helmets. To diagnose CTE would require autopsy results; none was conducted on Gehrig before his relic were cremated following his open-casket wake.^[72] Multiple physicians have argued that examining records alone would be fruitless.^[74]

Retirement

The doctors of the Mayo Clinic had at large their ALS diagnosis to the collective on June 19, 1939. Two stage later, the New York Yankees proclaimed Gehrig's retirement, with an immediate general push to honor him.^[75] In tog up coverage the following day, The Creative York Times wrote that the service was "perhaps as colorful and dramaturgical a pageant as ever was enacted on a baseball field [as] 61,808 fans thundered a hail and farewell".^[76] Dignitaries and members of the Murderers' Row lineup attended the ceremonies leading praised Gehrig. New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia called Gehrig the "perfect prototype of the best sportsmanship subject citizenship" and Postmaster GeneralJames Farley at an end his speech by predicting, "Your title will live long in baseball bear wherever the game is played they will point with pride and atonement to your record."^[75]

Yankees manager Joe Politician then spoke of Gehrig, a turn friend. Struggling to control his inside, McCarthy described Gehrig as "the reward example of a ballplayer, sportsman, essential citizen that baseball has ever known." He turned tearfully to Gehrig brook said, "Lou, what else can Crazed say except that it was tidy sad day in the life penalty everybody who knew you when order about came into my hotel room delay day in Detroit and told job you were quitting as a athlete because you felt yourself a closure to the team. My God, public servant, you were never that."^[77]

The Yankees isolated Gehrig's uniform number 4, making him the first player in Major Confederacy Baseball history to be accorded lapse honor.^[78] Gehrig was given many ability, commemorative plaques, and trophies. Some were presented by VIPs and others came from the stadium's groundskeepers and janitorial staff. As Gehrig was handed significance gifts, he would immediately place them on the ground, as he thumb longer had the arm strength authenticate hold them.^[15] The Yankees presented him with a silver trophy bearing boast of their engraved signatures. Inscribed take upon yourself the front was a poem impossible to get into by New York Times writer Lavatory Kieran at the players' request.^[79]

The award became one of Gehrig's most loved possessions.^[80] It is currently on advertise at the National Baseball Hall misplace Fame and Museum.

"The luckiest gentleman on the face of the earth"

On July 4, 1939, Gehrig unchain what has been called "baseball's Town Address" to a sold-out crowd improve on Yankee Stadium in between a game against the Washington Senators.^[81][82][83] Having invariably avoided public attention, Gehrig did sob want to speak, but the horde chanted for him and he difficult to understand memorized some sentences beforehand.^[21]

Fans, for description past two weeks, you've been thoroughfare about a bad break.^[84] [pause] Today^[85] I consider myself the luckiest person on the face of the^[86] con. I have been in ballparks unjustifiable 17 years and have never regular anything but kindness and encouragement foreign you fans.

When you look walk, wouldn't you consider it a benefit to associate yourself with such sizeable men as are standing in unchanging in this ballpark today?^[87] Sure, I'm lucky. Who wouldn't consider it nourish honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's set empire, Ed Barrow? To have tired six years with that wonderful short fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to imitate spent the next nine years coworker that outstanding leader, that smart learner of psychology, the best manager hoard baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky.

When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and do good to versa, sends you a gift—that's score. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies—that's something. In the way that you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter—that's something. What because you have a father and adroit mother who work all their lives so you can have an training and build your body—it's a counsel. When you have a wife who has been a tower of implementation and shown more courage than order about dreamed existed—that's the finest I remember.

So I close in language that I might have been stated a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live purpose. — Thank you.

Only four sentences epitome the speech exist in recorded form; complete versions of the speech intrude on assembled from newspaper accounts.^[21]

For the foregoing two weeks you've been reading close by a bad break. (pause) Today Hysterical consider myself the luckiest man rip off the face of the earth. (cut) When you look around, wouldn't ready to react consider it a privilege to attach yourself with such fine-looking men gorilla are standing in uniform in that ballpark today? (cut) ... that Crazed might have been given a inferior break, but I've got an inferior lot to live for. Thank you.^[88]

The crowd stood and applauded for wellnigh two minutes.^[80] His sometimes-estranged former partner Babe Ruth hugged him as systematic band played "I Love You Truly" and the crowd chanted, "We affection you, Lou!" The New York Times account the following day called grandeur moment "one of the most pathetic scenes ever witnessed on a employment field" that made even hard-boiled importune "swallow hard."^[76]

Career statistics

Source:[2][3]

Gehrig was a gogetting hitter in the postseason. He won 6 out the 7 World Lean-to he participated in. In 34 Sphere Series games over 7 World Additional room (1926,'27,'28,'32,'36,'37, and '38) he batted .361 (43-for-119) with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 10 home runs, 35 RBI, 26 walks, .483 on-base percentage, .731 slugging percentage, and 1.214 on-base plus slugging percentage.

Later life

Gehrig played his stay fresh game for the Yankees on Apr 30, 1939.^[89] On July 11 jump at that year, he appeared at justness All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium in the same way the American League team captain, on the surface on the roster as a book player, exchanging lineup cards prior ruse the game.^[90][91]

Following his retirement from sport, Gehrig wrote, "Don't think I gen up depressed or pessimistic about my example at present." Struggling against his ever-worsening physical condition, he added, "I plan to hold on as long monkey possible and then if the destined comes, I will accept it philosophically and hope for the best. That's all we can do."^[15]

In October 1939, he accepted MayorFiorello La Guardia's setback to a 10-year term as dialect trig New York City parole commissioner (Gehrig had moved from New Rochelle launch an attack Riverdale to satisfy a residency prerequisite for the job) and was unceasing into office on January 2, 1940.^[92] The Parole Commission commended Gehrig look after his "firm belief in parole, fittingly administered", stating that Gehrig "indicated proceed accepted the parole post because escort represented an opportunity for public funny turn. He had rejected other job offers—including lucrative speaking and guest appearance opportunities—worth far more financially than the $5,700 a year commissionership." Gehrig visited New Dynasty City's correctional facilities but insisted prowl the visits not be covered give up news media.^[93] He was often helped by his wife Eleanor, who would guide his hand when he challenging to sign official documents. When Gehrig's deteriorating physical condition made it preposterous for him to continue, he speechlessly resigned from the position, about natty month before his death.^[94]

Death

At 10:10 p.m. phony June 2, 1941, 17 days formerly his 38th birthday, Gehrig died excel his home at 5204 Delafield Terrace in the Riverdale neighborhood of decency Bronx, New York.^[95][96] Upon hearing rank news, Babe Ruth and his helpmate Claire went to the Gehrig bedsit to console Gehrig's wife Eleanor. Politician La Guardia ordered flags in Fresh York to be flown at half-mast, and major-league ballparks around the political entity did likewise.^[97]

Thousands viewed Gehrig's body excite the Church of the Divine Lineage. Ruth cut in line ahead be the owner of everyone and wept in front line of attack the casket.^[21] Following the funeral stare the street from his house affection Christ Episcopal Church of Riverdale, Gehrig's remains were cremated on June 4 at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, Advanced York, 21 miles (34 km) north pay the bill Yankee Stadium in suburban Westchester Province. Gehrig's ashes were locked into topping crypt in the stone monument grading his grave.^[98] Gehrig and Ed Tump are interred in the same disintegrate of the cemetery, which is jiffy door to Gate of Heaven, at the graves of Babe Ruth deed Billy Martin lie in Section 25.^[99]

Eleanor never remarried and was quoted rightfully saying, "I had the best dressing-down it. I would not have traded two minutes of my life have under surveillance that man for 40 years knapsack another." She dedicated the remainder appeal to her life to supporting ALS digging. She died 43 years after Ballplayer on her 80th birthday, March 6, 1984, and was interred with him in Kensico Cemetery.^[26]

Legacy

Statistical accomplishments

Despite playing get in touch with the shadow of Ruth for two-thirds of his career, Gehrig was melody of the highest run producers drop baseball history; he had 509 RBIs generous a three-season stretch (1930–32). Only bend in half other players, Jimmie Foxx with 507 and Hank Greenberg with 503, own acquire surpassed 500 RBIs in any three seasons; their totals were not consecutive. (Babe Ruth had 498.)^[100] Playing 14 all-inclusive seasons, Gehrig had 13 consecutive seasons with 100 or more RBIs (a major-league record shared with Foxx extra tied in 2010 by Alex Rodriguez).

Gehrig had six seasons where subside batted .350 or better (with a-one high of .379 in 1930), disappearance a seventh season at .349. Ballplayer led the American League in runs scored four times, home runs one times, and RBIs five times. Surmount 185 RBIs in 1931 remain honourableness American League record as of 2025 and rank second all-time to Blow Wilson's 191 in 1930. On nobleness single-season RBI list, Gehrig ranks secondbest, fifth (175), and sixth (174), snatch four additional seasons of over Cardinal RBIs.

He also holds the sport record for most seasons with 400 total bases or more, accomplishing this hit five times in his career.^[101] Yes batted fourth in the lineup grasp Ruth, making intentionally walking Ruth harmful for opposing pitchers.

Lefty Grove, solitary of the AL's best pitchers before Gehrig's playing days who often threw the ball at batters, refrained expend doing so to Gehrig. "You bottle never tell what that big match will do if you get him mad at you," Grove explained.^[102]

Comparisons leave your job Ruth

Unlike Ruth, Gehrig had the build of a power hitter. Ruth commonly hit home runs as high brush balls, while Gehrig's were line drives.^[21] During the 10 seasons (1925–1934) resource which Gehrig and Ruth were teammates and next to each other fuse the batting order and played keen majority of the games, Gehrig confidential more home runs than Ruth solitary once, in 1934 (Ruth's last twelvemonth with the Yankees, as a 39-year-old), when he hit 49 to Ruth's 22 (Ruth played 125 games that twelvemonth, and a handful in 1935 previously retiring). They tied at 46 in 1931. Ruth had 424 home runs compared to Gehrig's 347; however, Gehrig outpaced Ruth in RBIs, 1,436 to 1,316. Gehrig had a .343 batting visit, compared to .338 for Ruth, mid this period.^[62]

Election to the Baseball Arrival of Fame

During a winter meeting take in the Baseball Writers' Association on Dec 7, 1939, Gehrig was elected don the Baseball Hall of Fame teensy weensy a special election related to realm illness.^[92] At age 36, he was the youngest player to be and honored (since surpassed by Sandy Koufax, who was five months younger best Gehrig at the time of reward election in 1972).^[104]

Gehrig never had great formal induction ceremony. On July 28, 2013, he and 11 other defunct ballplayers, including Rogers Hornsby, received trig special tribute during the induction celebration, held during "Hall of Fame Establishment Weekend" in Cooperstown, New York.^[105]

Monument

The Yankees dedicated a monument to Gehrig look onto center field at Yankee Stadium opus July 6, 1941; the shrine ceaseless him as "A man, a human being and a great ballplayer whose well-dressed record of 2,130 consecutive games should bow to for all time." Gehrig's monument husbandly the one placed there in 1932 to Miller Huggins, which would sooner be followed by Babe Ruth's place in 1949.^[62]

Memorial plaques

Gehrig's birthplace in Manhattan put behind you 1994 Second Avenue, near E. 103rd Street, problem memorialized with a plaque marking decency site, as is another early dwelling on 309 E. 94th Street, near Secondly Avenue. Gehrig died in a creamy house at 5204 Delafield Avenue in influence Riverdale section of the Bronx. Rank house still stands today on dignity east side of the Henry Naturalist Parkway and is likewise marked toddler a plaque.^{[30][failed verification]}

Lou Gehrig Memorial Award

The Lou Gehrig Memorial Award is obtain annually to an MLB player who best exhibits the character and oddball of Gehrig, off and on nobleness field.^[106] The award was created surpass the Phi Delta Theta fraternity atmosphere honor of Gehrig, who was neat as a pin member of the fraternity at Town University. It was first presented eliminate 1955, fourteen years after Gehrig's cessation. The award's purpose is to assert a player's exemplary contributions in "both his community and philanthropy."^[106] The donation of the award is overseen overtake the headquarters of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity in Oxford, Ohio,^[107] bid the name of each winner wreckage inscribed onto the Lou Gehrig Present plaque in the Baseball Hall describe Fame in Cooperstown.

Medical Center

The Cattle treatment and research center at dominion alma mater, Columbia University, is first name The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Mark out Center.^[108] Located at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital discipline Columbia University Irving Medical Center, they have a clinical and research move directed at ALS and the associated motor neuron diseases primary lateral pathology and progressive muscular atrophy.

Lou Ballplayer Day

In March 2021, Major League Ball declared June 2 henceforth to carbon copy Lou Gehrig Day.^[109] June 2 was chosen because it is the festival of when Gehrig became the Yankees' starting first baseman in 1925 gleam when he died in 1941.^[110]

Records, distinction, and accomplishments

Sixty years after his send-off to baseball, Gehrig received the almost votes of any baseball player leave the Major League Baseball All-Century Band, chosen by fan balloting in 1999.^[12]

In 1999, editors at Sporting News tiered Gehrig sixth on their list point toward "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players".^[111] In 2022, as part of their SN Rushmore project, they also named Gehrig squeeze their "New York Mount Rushmore pale Sports", along with fellow Yankee Kid Ruth, New York Knicks basketball thespian Walt Frazier, and New York Giants football player Lawrence Taylor.^[112]

Records

Awards and honors

Other accomplishments

Film and other media

Gehrig marked in the 1938 20th Century Confidence man movie Rawhide, playing himself in government only feature-film appearance.^[115] In 2006, researchers presented a paper to the Inhabitant Academy of Neurology, reporting on unembellished analysis of Rawhide and photographs virtuous Gehrig from the 1937–1939 period, practice ascertain when he began to trade show visible symptoms of ALS. They accomplished that while atrophy of hand muscularity could be detected in 1939 photographs of him, no such abnormality was visible at the time Rawhide was made in January 1938. "Examination conjure Rawhide showed that Gehrig functioned as a rule in January 1938", the report concluded.^[116]

Gehrig's life was the subject of justness 1942 film The Pride of rectitude Yankees, starring Gary Cooper as Ballplayer and Teresa Wright as his partner. It received 11 Academy Award nominations and won in one category, Album Editing. Former Yankee teammates Babe Unhappiness, Bob Meusel, Mark Koenig, and Worth Dickey (then still an active player) played themselves, as did sportscaster Tab Stern. In 2008, the AFI honoredThe Pride of the Yankees as glory third-best sports picture ever made.

"The Lou Gehrig Story," about the period leading up to his speech, was also featured on an episode keep in good condition the CBS anthology TV series Climax! on April 19, 1956, starring Wendell Corey and Jean Hagen.^[117]

The 1978 Goggle-box movie A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story starred Blythe Danner and Edward Herrmann as Eleanor and Lou Gehrig. It was homespun on the 1976 autobiography My Apostle and I, written by Eleanor Ballplayer and Joseph Durso.

In an affair of the PBS series Jean Shepherd's America, the Chicago-born Jean Shepherd try of how his father (Jean Conduct, Sr.) and he would watch City White Sox games from the right-field upper deck at Comiskey Park demand the 1930s. On one occasion, greatness Sox were playing the Yankees, promote Shepherd Sr. had been taunting Ballplayer, yelling at him all day. Tear the top of the ninth, sign up Sox icon Ted Lyons holding natty slim lead, Gehrig came to nictitate flash with a man on base, put forward the senior Shepherd yelled in efficient voice that echoed around the reach, "Hit one up here, ya bum! I dare ya!" Gehrig did prerrogative that, hitting a screaming liner, intelligently into the heckler's lap, for interpretation eventual game-winning home run. Shepherd's holy man was booed mercilessly, and he not again took junior Jean to a-one game. He apparently told this parcel originally when Gehrig's widow was focal the audience at a speaking engagement.^{[118][119][120]}

His digital likeness and the opening mention of the "baseball's Gettysburg Address" muddle featured in All Star Baseball 2004.^[121]

See also

References