Henry_Louis_Gehrig

Henry Louis Gehrig, the son of German immigrants, was born in New York City on June 19th, 1903. Young Gehrig showed great athletic promise at an early age, becoming the star player of New York's Commerce High School baseball team. In fact, when Gehrig was a senior, Commerce won the city championship, which in turn earned the team the right to play against Chicago's top high school club. Gehrig's home run with the bases loaded (known by fans as a "grand slam") helped Commerce to a decisive victory. Despite his tremendous athletic ability, Gehrig's parents did not approve of their son playing baseball. Instead, they wanted him to finish his education at Columbia University and become an engineer. However, because the family had very little money, Gehrig's parents finally allowed him to sign a professional baseball contract with the New York Yankees. Two years after signing with the Yankees, Lou was called up from the minor leagues to become a permanent member of the club. Thanks largely to his impressive hitting ability, over the next fourteen years "Larrupin' Lou from Columbia U." made a name for himself as one of baseball's greatest players. From 1925 through 1939, Gehrig never missed a game, playing 2,130 games in a row, despite fractured fingers, spike wounds, back pain, sore muscles, and various illnesses. LOU GEHRIG 5/7 His miraculous streak for consecutive games played earned him his nickname, "The Iron Horse." Over the course of his long career, Gehrig helped the Yankees win six World Championships, and he became the first Yankee to win the Triple Crown in 1934 by leading the American League with forty-nine home runs, a batting average of .363, and 165 runs driven in. Gehrig also played on six American League All-Sadly, Gehrig's baseball career came to a swift end early in the 1939 season. Doctors diagnosed him with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a very rare disease that attacks and decays nerve cells in the brain and spine, which is now often called "Lou Gehrig's disease." On July 4, 1939, over 62,000 fans showed up at Yankee Stadium to honor Gehrig, who made a farewell speech in which he famously called himself "the luckiest man on the face of the earth."Star teams, and was twice named the American League's Most Valuable Player (in 1927 and 1936). 7/7 Though he passed away just two short years later, Gehrig's name lives on through his many accomplishments. He was once voted the "Greatest First Baseman Ever," and his record of 23 grand slams still stands. More important than his phenomenal athletic talent, however, Lou Gehrig is remembered for his boundless courage, tireless effort, and positive attitude.