Gehrig

Gehrig is a surname of German origin. It is most commonly associated with the famous American baseball player Lou Gehrig, but it may refer to other individuals and entities as well.

Lou Gehrig

Lou Gehrig (1903–1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. He was renowned for his prowess as a hitter and for his durability, earning him the nickname "The Iron Horse." Gehrig was a seven-time All-Star, a six-time World Series champion, and a two-time American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

Early Life

Gehrig was born in New York City to German immigrant parents. He attended Columbia University, where he played both football and baseball before signing with the Yankees.

Career Highlights

Gehrig's career was marked by numerous achievements, including a then-record streak of 2,130 consecutive games played, which stood until Cal Ripken Jr. broke it in 1995. He had a career batting average of .340, hit 493 home runs, and had 1,995 runs batted in (RBIs).

Illness and Legacy

In 1939, Gehrig was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that later became known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He retired from baseball that year and delivered his famous "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech at Yankee Stadium. Gehrig passed away in 1941 at the age of 37.

Other Notable Individuals

• Heinrich Gehrig - A Swiss painter known for his landscape and portrait works.
• Karl Gehrig - A German engineer who contributed to the development of early automotive technology.

Related Pages

• New York Yankees
• Baseball Hall of Fame
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Cal Ripken Jr.
• Yankee Stadium
• Columbia University