Lou Gehrig was The New York Yankees’ “Iron Horse”

Talent and Hard Work Lead to Success

Lou Gehrig was born in New York City on June 19, 1903. His parents Heinrich and Christina were immigrants from Germany who had come to the United States only a few years before his birth. He faced hardship early on, as he was born into a life of poverty. His father had trouble staying sober and keeping a job. His mother on the other hand, was a serious and hard-working woman. She worked various jobs to support her family, including cleaning houses and cooking meals for wealthy New Yorkers.

As a way out of their difficult life, Christina encouraged Lou in his academic and athletic pursuits. Fortunately, Lou was a gifted athlete who excelled in football and baseball. Once he graduated from high school, Lou enrolled at Columbia University, where he decided to study engineering. In addition to his studies, Lou played both football and baseball. He was a star pitcher for the baseball team, earning the nickname “Columbia Lou” from his many fans. His superior play drew the attention of the New York Yankees who were impressed not by his pitching, but by his powerful bat. In April 1923 (the same year that Yankee Stadium opened), the Yankees signed Gehrig to a contract that included a $1500 signing bonus. This was a large sum of money for that time, and it allowed Gehrig to move his parents from the city to the suburbs. It was also enough money for him to focus solely on professional baseball.

Gehrig Becomes a Beloved Player for the Yankees

Gehrig started in the Yankees minor league system but played so well that he made his debut for the Yankees two months after he signed his contract. In June of 1923, Gehrig took the place of Wally Pipp, the Yankees aging first basemen. Once he broke in to the lineup, Gehrig became a mainstay of the Yankees starting nine. He played in 2,130 straight games, enduring injuries, illnesses and struggles during that time. This was a record in American baseball for the most games played in a row and it was a record that stood until 1995, when it was broken by Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles. 

Gehrig was not only a durable player, but he was a star as well. He teamed up with another Yankees star, Babe Ruth, to help the “Bronx Bombers” win six world series titles in the 1920’s and 30’s. Gehrig did indeed have a powerful bat, scoring at least 100 runs and knocking in at least 100 runs in 13 straight seasons. In 1931 he broke the American League record for RBI’s with 184. In 1934, he won major league baseball’s Triple Crown by finishing first in home runs (49), batting average (.363), and RBI’s (165). 

Gehrig was known as a serious, dedicated, and hard-working player. His personality was a sharp contrast to many of his teammates, especially Ruth, who partied after games and loved the spotlight. Although he was a much different person, Gehrig’s toughness earned him respect from both teammates and fans, who nicknamed him the “Iron Horse.” It seemed that Gehrig would be a star for the Yankees for many years to come, but sadly this was not the case.

Illness Weakens the Iron Horse

The season of 1938 was a tough one for Gehrig. He played the worst baseball of his professional career, and had career lows in all of his batting statistics. It appeared that his tough and aggressive style had caught up to him, wearing down his body in the process. It turned out that it was something much different than just his aging body. Gehrig was getting sick. 

After a terrible stretch of play during the beginning of the 1939 season, Gehrig noticed that he had trouble doing even simple activities such as tying his shoes. He began to worry that something was wrong with his body, and checked in to the Mayo Clinic (a famous medical research clinic). After a series of tests, doctors told him that he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which prevents nerve cells from interacting with the body’s muscles. It was only a matter of time before Gehrig would lose the ability to do simple daily activities let alone play baseball. Doctors told Gehrig that the disease would kill him sooner or later. There was no known cure. 

On May 2 1939, Gehrig’s streak of 2,130 consecutive games played came to an end, as he took himself out of the lineup. Soon after this, Gehrig retired from baseball. On July 4^th, 1939, the Yankees held “Lou Gehrig Day” in his honor. Gehrig gave a short, tear-filled speech. He started off his speech by saying that “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth…” Gehrig used his speech to express his appreciation for the chances that he had been given, and for his fans and teammates. 

After he retired from baseball, Gehrig’s number 4 was retired by the Yankees, meaning that no Yankee player could ever wear that number. This was the first time that a professional baseball team had ever retired a player’s number. Gehrig was also immediately inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, making him the first player to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame without a waiting period. On June 2, 1941 Gehrig passed away from ALS, which also became known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”

Lou Gehrig Fun Facts

• Gehrig played with 5 fractures in his hand during his 2,130 game streak
• In 1927, Gehrig and Ruth hit more home runs than every team in basebal except one
• Lou was the only child of the Gehrig family to survive his infant year
• Lou was fullback on Columbia’s football team