Lou gehrig disease

Henry Louis Gehrig, born Ludwig Heinrich Gehrig (June 19, – June 2, ), was an Americanfirst 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 His career was prematurely ended by, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis a degenerative terminal illness which has come to be widely known under his name.

He was born on Manhattan island in New York City, the son of Germanimmigrants. He attended Columbia University, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Thetafraternity. However, he could not play intercollegiate baseball due to his having played baseball for a summer professional league during his freshman year.

Gehrig was a powerful hitter, a fine fielder, and a loyal teammate.

If he was not quite the player his teammate Babe Ruth was, he was a feared complement in the lineup, and a more reliable presence to the team. It was no accident that Gehrig, not Ruth, hit cleanup in the Yankees batting order.

Henry lou gehrig biography for kids Gehrig's consecutive game streak ended on May 2, , when he voluntarily took himself out of the lineup, stunning both players and fans, after his performance on the field became hampered by an undiagnosed ailment subsequently confirmed to be amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , an incurable neuromuscular illness; it is now commonly referred to in North America as "Lou Gehrig's disease". It was no accident that Gehrig, not Ruth, hit cleanup in the Yankees batting order. The first time, in , was controversial: it was the year Ruth hit 60 home runs, but Ruth was not eligible for the award under the rules of the time, having won it previously in The Yankees dedicated a monument to Gehrig in center field at Yankee Stadium on July 6, ; the shrine lauded him as "A man, a gentleman and a great ballplayer whose amazing record of 2, consecutive games should stand for all time.

Gehrig played from to In his career he hit home runs and played in 2, consecutive games, an endurance record that stood until when Cal Ripken, Jr. broke it.

Gehrig's streak began when he pinch-hit for Pee-Wee Wanninger on June 1, The next day, regular first baseman Wally Pipp was benched, so Gehrig started at first base; he would remain there until

Gehrig won the American League's Most Valuable Player Award twice.

The first time, in , was controversial: it was the year Ruth hit 60 home runs, but Ruth was not eligible for the award under the rules of the time, having won it previously (in ). Gehrig did, however, lead the AL with runs batted in. Gehrig won the award again in , with one of his finest offensive seasons.

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Though Gehrig was most famous for his consecutive-games streak, his RBI numbers are equally impressive. Gehrig holds the American League record for RBI in a season, with On the all-time single-season list, Gehrig had the 2nd-highest, 4th-highest, 6th-highest and 13th-highest RBI seasons in baseball history, as well as three others in the top He had at least RBI in every season from to essentially, his entire playing career.

(And it wasn't close; his lowest-ever RBI total as a full-season player was ) Gehrig also scored over runs in each of those 13 seasons. He led the American League in RBI five times, and was runner-up another four times.

Who was lou gehrig married to Regular season Babe Ruth's called shot. He batted fourth in the lineup behind Ruth, making intentionally walking Ruth counterproductive for opposing pitchers. They concluded that while atrophy of hand muscles could be detected in photographs of him, no such abnormality was visible at the time Rawhide was made in January The house still stands today on the east side of the Henry Hudson Parkway and is likewise marked by a plaque.

Lou Gehrig played in 27 winning World Series games; of those, he drove in the winning run eight times.

Gehrig is also notable for being the only player to hit 40 home runs and 40 doubles in a season three different times. He is also one of very few players to hit four home runs in a single game.

Except for his disease-shortened , in which he struggled to bat 4-for before retiring, Gehrig never had a seasonal batting average under At the end of his career, Gehrig ranked 2nd in home runs (), 3rd in RBI (1,), 4th in runs (1,), 4th in on-base percentage (), and 2nd in slugging ().

Lou gehrigs widow On one occasion, the Sox were playing the Yankees, and Shepherd Sr. Thurman Munson Baseball player. When the New York Giants , a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift—that's something.

He currently ranks 21st in HRs, 4th in RBI, 10th in runs, 5th in on-base, and 3rd in slugging. It should be remembered that Gehrig was just 35 years old when he retired. His final totals-- 7 home runs shy of , 5 RBI less than 2, serve as a statistical reminder of a career unfinished.

On May 2, , Gehrig played his 2,th consecutive game — a record that stood for 56 years before Ripken broke it.

He retired from the sport later that year after learning he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative disease so rare that it first became widely known due to him, and is today widely known as "Lou Gehrig's disease".

His retirement speech at Yankee Stadium on July 4 of that year (for "Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day") is one of the most famous in sports history.

Lou gehrig biography wife Gehrig only got as far, though, as posing for a widely distributed, and embarrassing, photo of himself in a leopard-spotted costume. Statistical accomplishments [ edit ]. He was the first in a long line of powerful Yankee sluggers who died prematurely. We've been to the wars together; We took our foes as they came; And always you were the leader, And ever you played the game.

Gehrig refused the crowd's sympathy, and declared that he considered himself "the luckiest man on the face of the earth." Babe Ruth, with whom Gehrig had not spoken for six years due to long-standing personality conflicts, hugged him, and Gehrig became the first athlete to have his jersey number (#4) retired by a team.

Gehrig died in Riverdale, New York, aged He was the first in a long line of powerful Yankee sluggers who died prematurely.

Ruth himself died young of cancer, as did Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Strangely, another Yankee great, pitcherCatfish Hunter, died of the same exceedingly rare disease that claimed Gehrig.

Lou gehrig biography movie: Baseball player. Gehrig has so cheerfully and courageously faced. The Indianapolis Times. He was the second of four children of German immigrants , Christina Foch — and Heinrich Gehrig —

Gehrig is interred in Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.

The Pride of the Yankees, a film about Gehrig's life, featured Gary Cooper.

Career Statistics

G

AB

H

2B

3B

HR

R

RBI

BB

SO

SH

HBP

AVG

OBP

SLG

8,

2,

1,

1,

1,

45

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See also

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