Lou Gehrig was nicknamed the Iron Horse for playing in 2,130 consecutive games over 14 years. Pictured here in spring training in 1932, the steadfast first baseman for the New York Yankees would hit .349 and belt 34 home runs, including a record four in one game, that season.
"Gehrig did not make it into the Baseball Hall of Fame for reliability alone," The Times wrote in 2016. "He played in six consecutive All-Star Games, was twice named the American League's most valuable player, and was the first baseball player to have his number, 4, retired ... He set a plethora of records, some of which have never been broken."
The Times added, "He was a consummate first baseman and hitter who stood out on Yankees dynasty teams with Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey and Babe Ruth, who preceded him in the batting order. He batted at least .300 for 12 consecutive seasons, achieving a career average of .340, and was no stranger to the long ball - he hit 493 home runs, twice hitting 49 in a single season and four in one game in 1932.
Gehrig retired at 36 because of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease; Lou Gehrig's disease became the informal name for A.L.S. On July 4, 1939, he attended Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day, and he made a dramatic and tearful speech that would become part of baseball lore. The next day The New York Times headline declared, "61,808 Fans Roar Tribute to Gehrig; Captain of Yankees Honored at Stadium - Calls Himself 'Luckiest Man Alive.' "
Gehrig died at age 37 on June 2, 1941.
