Honoring Lou Gehrig, the ‘Iron Horse’, today is Lou Gehrig Day

The past two days in the U.S. (three days ET) have been recognized as Lou Gehrig Day by Major League Baseball.

Starting in 2021, Lou Gehrig Day was established by Commissioner Rob Manfred 80 years after his death in 1941 to honor his indomitable spirit. There’s a reason it falls on June 2 and not any other day. It’s because Lou Gehrig’s record-breaking 2,130-game streak began on June 2, 1925. The legend was born when Gehrig was thrust into the starting lineup after incumbent first baseman Wally Pipp complained of headaches.

Gehrig’s streak of consecutive games played would remain a major league record for 56 years until it was surpassed by Baltimore Orioles’ Carl Ripken Jr. on September 6, 1995.

Gehrig was later diagnosed with a rare disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and died less than two years after retiring. At the age of 37. The disease has since been named Lou Gehrig’s disease because he was the first to develop it. At his retirement ceremony, Gehrig famously said, “I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth,” in a speech that touched the hearts of many.

Despite the record being broken, Gehrig remains a favorite of baseball fans across the country. In a fan poll to determine the “favorite baseball player” at the end of the 20th century, Gehrig came out on top, beating out Babe Ruth.토토사이트

In 17 seasons, he batted .340 with 2,721 hits, 493 home runs, and 1995 RBIs, and his number 4 became the first major league number to be retired. Lou Gehrig’s Day has only been around for three years, but it’s already become quite significant, with organizations raising money and donations for those affected by the disease.