The "The Iron Men Of Baseball" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Think back to June 1, 1925 if that's at all possible.  I realize that most of you weren't even born at that time in history, but if you are a loyal baseball fan, such as I am, you might recognize that ordinary day as the day that New York Yankee Lou Gehrig stepped to the plate to pinch-hit.  It was the first of 2,130 consecutive games that the great Yankee would play in.  On that date in history, Gehrig pinch-hit for Pee-Wee Wanninger in the eighth inning and flew out to left field.   The next day Gehrig started at first base in place of Wally Pipp, and the man known eventually as the Iron Horse, didn't miss another game for nearly 14 years.  Yes, you read that correctly...14 years.  That's a whole lot of games!  

Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig watches from the dugout
May 2, 1939 as his teammates warm up for their game with
the Tigers in Detroit.  The Iron Horese told manager Joe
McCarthy he was benching himself for the good of the
team, bringing his 2,130 game winning streak to an end.
The Detroit fans gave him a standing ovation when they
learned he would not be in the lineup.  The Yankees won, 22-2.

But, finally on May 2, 1939, in the midst of a batting slump, Gehrig took himself out of the lineup.  Sure made it easy for the manager who most certainly would have been booed had he taken him out of the lineup.  It was later found that Gehrig's batting and playing troubles were because he was dying from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  This disease causes the progressive loss of voluntary muscle movement.  Over time, people who have it lose their ability to walk, use their hands and arms, speak, chew and swallow.  During Gehrig's career he was MVP (Most Valuable Player) in 1927 and 1936, recorded the American Triple Crown (Batting .363, 49 Home Runs, 166 Runs Batted In) and was a member of six Yankees World Series Champions, including the 1927 title team, which many consider the best baseball team ever.  Lou Gehrig was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939.  He died at the age of 36 on June 2, 1941.  His record streak for most consecutive games lasted until Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripken broke the record on September 6, 1995.  

Cal Ripken played in 2,632 straight games.

Cal's streak lasted from May 30, 1982 to September 6, 1995.  Ripken went on to play in 2,632 consecutive games.  Will that record ever be broken?  On July 4, 1939, at Yankee Stadium, Lou Gehrig was honored for his achievement.  On that day he said, "Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth."  The record that Gehrig, and later Ripken, held is one that is almost impossible to top.  Injuries, sickness and a variety of other problems can easily disrupt a record streak such as that.  I never had the chance to attend a game in which Lou Gehrig played, but did get to see quite a few games played by Cal Ripken.  I even got to see him a few years ago when watching a Little League game that was being played in the Ripken Experience Aberdeen.  His stadium is a two-thirds scale replica of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Aberdeen, Maryland.  Great guy who has given back to baseball for the benefit of the youth of Maryland.  Will anyone ever come close to catching Lou or Cal?  I doubt it, at least in my lifetime.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.