Lou Gehrig Biography

Henry Louis "Lou" or "Buster" Gehrig was an American baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Gehrig was renowned for his prowess as a hitter and for his durability, a trait which earned him his nickname "The Iron Horse". He finished with a career batting average of .340, an on-base percentage of .447, and a slugging percentage of .632, and he tallied 493 home runs and 1,995 runs batted in. A seven-time All-Star and six-time World Series champion, Gehrig won the Triple Crown in 1934 and was twice named the American League's Most Valuable Player. Gehrig was the first MLB player to have his uniform number retired, and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

A native of New York City and attendee of Columbia University, Gehrig signed with the Yankees in 1923. He set several major league records during his career, including the most career grand slams and most consecutive games played, a record that stood for 56 years and was long considered unbreakable until surpassed by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995. Source: Wikipedia

Marriages

• 1933-09-29
  NY Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig (30) weds Eleanor Twitchell in New Rochelle, New York

Lou Gehrig Timeline

• 1923-09-27
  NY Yankee Lou Gehrig hits 1st of his 493 HRs
• 1925-06-01
  Lou Gehrig replaces Wally Pipp (1st of record 2130 consec games)
• 1925-06-02
  NY Yankee Lou Gehrig begins his 2,130 consecutive game streak
• 1925-07-23
  NY Yankee Lou Gehrig hits his 1st of 23 career grand slammers
• 1927-06-23
  Lou Gehrig hits 3 HRs in 11-4 victory over Red Sox
• 1927-09-02
  Rumour starts that Yankee Lou Gehrig will be traded to Tigers
• 1927-10-11
  Lou Gehrig named AL MVP (Babe Ruth (former winner) not eligible)
• 1928-06-12
  NY Yankee Lou Gehrig hits 2 triples & 2 HRs to be White Sox 15-7
• 1929-05-04
  Lou Gehrig hits 3 consecutive HRs, Yankees 11, Tigers 9
• 1930-06-22
  Lou Gehrig hits 3 HRs in a game, Ruth hits 3 in doubleheader
• 1930-07-31
  Lou Gehrig grand slams as Yanks beat Red Sox 14-13
• 1930-09-28
  Lou Gehrig's errorless streak ends at 885 consecutive games
• 1931-04-02
  Teenage girl strikes out Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game in Chattanooga, Tennessee
• 1931-04-26
  Lou Gehrig hits a HR but is called out for passing a runner, mistake costs him AL home run crown; he & Babe Ruth tie for season
• 1931-08-18
  Lou Gehrig hitless in Detroit, his 1,000th consecutively played game
• 1931-09-20
  Lou Gehrig's 4 RBIs break his old RBI mark of 175 en route to 184
• 1931-09-27
  Lou Gehrig completes his 6th straight season, playing in every game (.3486) Jim Bottomley (.3481)
• 1932-06-03
  Lou Gehrig is 1st to hit 4 consecutive HRs; Yanks beat A's 20-13
• 1932-06-23
  Lou Gehrig plays 1,103rd successive game in a NY uniform, equaling Joe Sewell's record with one team (Cleveland)
• 1933-06-14
  Lou Gehrig & Joe McCarthy thrown out of game, McCarthy suspended 3 games but Gehrig isn't, so he continues his streak at 1,249 games
• 1933-08-17
  Lou Gehrig plays record 1,308th consecutive game
• 1934-06-25
  NY Yankee Lou Gehrig hits for the cycle beating White Sox 11-2
• 1934-09-25
  Lou Gehrig plays in his 1,500th consecutive game
• 1934-11-03
  Although Lou Gehrig wins Triple Crown, Mickey Cochrane wins AL MVP
• 1934-11-20
  Eiji Sawamura, 17, gives up 1 hit, Lou Gehrig's HR, US beats Japan 1-0
• 1935-06-08
  Lou Gehrig collides with Carl Reynolds & leaves the game
• 1936-10-16
  Lou Gehrig, is voted AL MVP by BBWAA
• 1938-08-20
  Lou Gehrig hits record 23rd & last grand slam
• 1939-05-02
  Lou Gehrig ends 2,130 consecutive game streak, Yanks beat Tigers 22-2
• 1939-06-21
  NY Yankees announce Lou Gehrig's retirement after doctors reveal he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• 1939-07-03
  Lou Gehrig day; Gehrig makes "luckiest man" speech
• 1939-07-04
  Yankees retire 1st uniform (Lou Gehrig #4), 1st Old Timers Day
• 1939-12-07
  Lou Gehrig, 36, is elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame
• 1941-07-06
  NY Yankees unveil a monument to Lou Gehrig in centerfield
• 1965-08-20
  Eddie Mathews & Hank Aaron (1954-65) pass Babe Ruth-Lou Gehrig hitting 772 HRs while playing together on the same team

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