Lou Gehrig

Henry Louis Gehrig, born Ludwig Heinrich Gehrig (June 19, 1903 – June 2, 1941), was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the New York Yankees and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. Along with teammate Babe Ruth, Gehrig anchored one of the most powerful offenses in baseball history. He was known as The Iron Horse for his reliability; he played in every Yankees game for nearly 14 years, setting a record that stood until 1995. His career was prematurely ended by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative terminal illness which came to be widely known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease."

Records, awards and distinctions

Career Statistics

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GABH2B3BHRRRBIBBSOSHHBPAVGOBPSLG

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21648,0012,7215341634931,8881,9951,50879010645.340.447.632

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Despite roughly seventy years having passed since Gehrig played, many of his accomplishments remain at the top or very nearly at the top of baseball's record books. He remains one of baseball's greatest first basemen.

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Major league baseball career records

• Grand Slam Home Runs: 23
• RBI, by a first baseman: 1,995
• Consecutive seasons, 120+ RBI: 8 (1927-1934)
• Seasons, 100+ RBI: 13 (1926-1938; tied with Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx)
• Consecutive seasons, 100+ RBI: 13 (1926-1938; tied with Jimmie Foxx
• Runs Scored, by a first baseman: 1,888
• On Base Percentage, by a first baseman: 0.442
• Bases-on-Balls, by a first baseman: 1,508
• Slugging Percentage, by a first baseman: 0.632
• Extra Base Hits, by a first baseman: 1,190 (in danger of being passed by Rafael Palmeiro)

Major league baseball single season records

• RBI, by a first baseman: 184 (1931; also the American League record)
• Runs Scored, by a first baseman: 167 (1936)
• Slugging Percentage, by a first baseman: 0.765 (1927)
• Extra Base Hits, by a first baseman: 117 (1927)
• Total Bases, by a first baseman: 447 (1927)

Major League Baseball Single Game Records

• Home Runs: 4 (June 3, 1932, vs. Philadelphia Athletics, at Shibe Park; since tied)

Awards

• Inducted to Major League Baseball Hall of Fame: 1939
• League MVP: 1927 (award discontinued, and usually not considered a true MVP award)
• American League MVP: 1936 (voted on by Baseball Writers Association of America; runner-up in voting for this award in 1931 and 1932)
• Named to seven All-Star teams (1933-1939)
• Named starting first baseman in Major League Baseball's "All (20th) Century Team" (1999)
• July 4, 1939 farewell speech is voted by fans as the fifth greatest moment in Major League Baseball history (2002). The number one moment is the day Cal Ripken, Jr. breaks his consecutive games played streak.

Distinctions

• Triple Crown of hitting in 1934 (.363 batting average, 49 home runs, 165 RBI)
• Only player in history to collect 400 total bases in five seasons (1927, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1936).
• With Stan Musial, the only player to collect at least 500 doubles, 150 triples, and 400 home runs in a career.
• One of only six players (Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, and Ted Williams) to end their career with a minimum .320 batting average, 350 home runs, and 1,500 RBI
• Only player to hit 40 doubles and 40 home runs in the same season in three different seasons (1927, 1930, 1934)
• Honored on April 19, 1949 (along with Babe Ruth and Miller Huggins) with the first three permanent marble monuments in what is today called "Monument Park" at Yankee Stadium.
• Played in 27 World Series games where the Yankees were victorious in seven World Series. Eight times, he scored the game winning run.
• Hit a MLB record 23 grand slam home runs in his career. Interestingly, although he usually batted fourth in the lineup, in the cleanup position, he hit behind Babe Ruth.
• The first athlete in any sport to have his uniform number retired.

Aside from the statistical achievements, Lou Gehrig also stands as an important historical connection. When Gehrig began playing, players like Ty Cobb and Eddie Collins were still playing. Even players who had started their careers very near the turn of the century, like Frank Chance, and Tris Speaker were managing. When Gehrig left the game young stars like Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, and Ted Williams were starting their careers. Thus, Gehrig got to play with and against, some of the greats of the game whose careers spanned from very near the beginning of Major League Baseball, to the 1960s.

Related Topics:
Ty Cobb - Eddie Collins - Frank Chance - Tris Speaker - Joe DiMaggio - Bob Feller - Ted Williams

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