I can't tell you how I have agonized over my Day 4 post. I've known since the very first Day in the Countdown who I was using for Day 4. I don't want it to seem like just a "cut and paste" job; I really wanted to write something meaningful. Yet, here I am, 8:39 PM on December 21, almost to Day 3 of the Countdown, and I STILL can't find the right words to truly honor this man.
"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another." - Ernest Hemingway
Henry Louis Gehirg, the Pride of the Yankees, wore number 4 during his illustrious and storied career. Most 
know him as the Iron Man, the holder of "The Streak,", the one that would never be broken. Others may think of him as "Oh didn't he just bat behind Babe Ruth?" (In the early years of wearing numbers, starting players' numbers refected where they were in the batting order - Ruth hit third, Gehrig fourth.) This humble, quiet ballplayer from NY was, in my opinion, everything you've read and seen about him. One of my favorite movies of all time (I have a boot leg copy on VHS somewhere in the basement) is "Pride of the Yankees" starring Gary Cooper. From every article and book I have read about Gehrig (I have read quite a few baseball history books), this movie is a perfect portrayal of his life. I can't say for sure whether he never really wanted to be in the spotlight or not, but regardless, living first in the "shadow" of The Babe, then of the upcoming youngster Joe DiMaggio, never seemed to affect Gehrig. He went out and did his job, day after day after day. I'll post more stats later, but think about this - Babe Ruth hit 60 homeruns in 1927, at least 60 times during the season, Gehrig came to the plate with the bases empty thanks to Mr. Ruth, and probably even more than that since Ruth's RBI total was 164. Yet Gehrig drove in 175 runs, even more than Ruth.
know him as the Iron Man, the holder of "The Streak,", the one that would never be broken. Others may think of him as "Oh didn't he just bat behind Babe Ruth?" (In the early years of wearing numbers, starting players' numbers refected where they were in the batting order - Ruth hit third, Gehrig fourth.) This humble, quiet ballplayer from NY was, in my opinion, everything you've read and seen about him. One of my favorite movies of all time (I have a boot leg copy on VHS somewhere in the basement) is "Pride of the Yankees" starring Gary Cooper. From every article and book I have read about Gehrig (I have read quite a few baseball history books), this movie is a perfect portrayal of his life. I can't say for sure whether he never really wanted to be in the spotlight or not, but regardless, living first in the "shadow" of The Babe, then of the upcoming youngster Joe DiMaggio, never seemed to affect Gehrig. He went out and did his job, day after day after day. I'll post more stats later, but think about this - Babe Ruth hit 60 homeruns in 1927, at least 60 times during the season, Gehrig came to the plate with the bases empty thanks to Mr. Ruth, and probably even more than that since Ruth's RBI total was 164. Yet Gehrig drove in 175 runs, even more than Ruth.We know the story.... we know how his career was cut short after 16 full seasons (part of 
1923 through part of 1939), that he was a two time AL MVP, was the first player to hit 4 home runs in a game, holds (among others) the MLB record for grand slams with 23. And we all know the "Streak" - 2,130 consecutive games played, taking over for Wally Pipp full time at first base starting June 2, 1925 (but playing the day before in a pinch hitting role) and not taking a day off until May 2, 1939. It's amazing how quickly his illnes (ALS) hit. His stats were off a bit in 1938, but only if you were Lou Gehrig - .295 avg, .523 slugging percentage, 29 home runs and 114 driven in. By spring training, he wasn't hitting the ball, and even collapsed during a spring training game at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg. He retired in July, 1939 after his diagnosis, and later that year the waiting rules were waived for induction into the Hall of Fame, and on a special vote, Gehrig was unanimously voted into the Hall of Fame.
1923 through part of 1939), that he was a two time AL MVP, was the first player to hit 4 home runs in a game, holds (among others) the MLB record for grand slams with 23. And we all know the "Streak" - 2,130 consecutive games played, taking over for Wally Pipp full time at first base starting June 2, 1925 (but playing the day before in a pinch hitting role) and not taking a day off until May 2, 1939. It's amazing how quickly his illnes (ALS) hit. His stats were off a bit in 1938, but only if you were Lou Gehrig - .295 avg, .523 slugging percentage, 29 home runs and 114 driven in. By spring training, he wasn't hitting the ball, and even collapsed during a spring training game at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg. He retired in July, 1939 after his diagnosis, and later that year the waiting rules were waived for induction into the Hall of Fame, and on a special vote, Gehrig was unanimously voted into the Hall of Fame. 
Gehrig passed away on June 2, 1941 at the age of 37. A plaque (pictured here) was placed in his honor near Al Lang Field (later Al Lang Stadium and now Progres Energy Park) in St. Petersburg, FL. When in St. Petersburg after Christmas, I will search out this plaque. I have a photo of the plaques honoring Miller Huggins and Casey Stengel at Huggins-Stengel Field in St. Pete.After the holidays, I urge all of my.... 6 and a half... faithful readers to find "Pride of the Yankees" and give it a watch.
Career stats:
Batting average: .340
Home runs: 493
RBI: 1,995
Most home runs in a game: 4
Slugging percentage: .632
AL RBI record for a seaon: 174
5 time AL RBI leader
Triple Crown winner: 1934 (only 8 AL players have won the Triple Crown, and 5 NL players)
Lou is the definition of 'a class act".
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