THE YANKEES MOUNT OLYMPUS: LOU GEHRIG

One of the first movies I can remember watching was a black and white, weekend re-run from 1942 and starred Gary Cooper.  It was about the Yankee hero who sits in chair number two of the Yankees Mount Olympus and was appropriately titled “Pride of the Yankees”.


I speak, of course, about Henry Louis “Lou” Gehrig – the greatest first baseman in the history of the New York Yankees, and possibly baseball history.

On any list of greatest Yankees, Gehrig is always mentioned in the top 3 – with good reason. 

Over the course of his 17-year career,  Lou led the league in RBI five times, Runs four times, home runs three times, on-base percentage five times and slugging percentage twice.  However, it is his ability to stay in the lineup year after year that gave him his nickname of “The Iron Horse” and secured his spot in baseball immortality.

From 1925 through early 1939 Gehrig played in 2,130 consecutive games – a record that stood until Cal Ripken broke it in September of 1995.  Gehrig’s streak ended as a result of a disease which today carries his name.  Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, aka “Lou Gehrig’s disease”, is a cruel disease that robs its victims of muscle control, and it is ultimately fatal. 

It was the only thing that could stop “The Iron Horse”.

Before he yielded to ALS, Lou put together a jaw-dropping career.  His average was below .295 only once – the year he finally called it quits.  He drove in more than 140 runs NINE times (that’s not a typo), and scored at least 130 runs NINE times.  He won the Triple Crown in 1934 and in 34 World Series games; Gehrig hit .361 with 10 home runs, 30 runs scored, and 35 RBI.

Twice he was named MVP – ironically he was NOT MVP in 1931 (he finished second to Lefty Grove) when he led the league in runs (163), hits (211), home runs (46), RBI (185 – yeah, not a typo), and total bases (410).

Until 2013 when Alex Rodriguez broke his record, Gehrig was the career leader in grand slams (23), and he was named an All-Star nine times.

Sitting in the heart of perhaps the greatest lineup in history, Gehrig was the quiet, controlled counter-part to the spotlight-snatching Babe Ruth.  Where Ruth’s exploits off the field made for great media fodder,

Gehrig was a reserved homebody, content with going about the daily routine of fine-tuning his craft and playing baseball.

The irony of it all is that the media-shy Gehrig delivered the “Gettysburg Address” of baseball on July 4, 1939 – Lou Gehrig Day – at Yankee Stadium.  It is a speech still referred to today, and passed from generation to generation of baseball fans and players. 

During his career, the Yankees won six World Championships in no small part to Gehrig’s contributions (he was captain of the team from 1935 – 1939).  Through his steady play and subtle class Lou endeared himself to baseball fans for eternity.

In 1939, the year he died, Gehrig was inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame via a special election.  It is proof of his importance to the game he loved.

Gehrig is one of only five Yankees to have their plaque mounted on a red granite block and it reads:

“A man, a gentleman and a great ballplayer whose amazing record of 2,130 consecutive games should stand for all of time.

This memorial is a tribute from the Yankee Players to their beloved captain and team mate.”

It is with great honor that we now pay our own tribute to the “Iron Horse” and place him in the second spot in the New York Yankees Mount Olympus.


    

--Steve Skinner, BYB Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1




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