The Finest Lou Gehrig Single Signed American League Baseball Sweet Spot PSA DNA
$499,995.00
Offered is an exceptional opportunity to possess the finest 1930s Lou Gehrig single-signed baseball. Gehrig, one of the greatest players in the history of baseball, is a baseball immortal whose relentless drive and almost unbelievable work ethic allowed him to play countless contests while injured or ill until the Hall of Famer had played in 2,130 consecutive games to set a Major League record that lasted from 1939 until Cal Ripken Jr. broke it 56 years later. Gehrig was born the Borough of Manhattan in New York City in 1903, and he attended Columbia University, where he was a first baseman and pitcher on the baseball team, and a fullback on the football team. For years, Gehrig batted fourth for the Yankees, protecting Babe Ruth, who hit third. "The Iron Horse" was a 6-time World Champion, a Triple Crown winner and a 2-time AL MVP. For his career (1923-39), Gehrig batted .340 with 493 home runs.
Lou contracted amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease"), most likely in 1938, but no one was aware of it at the time. ALS subtly affected his play in the second half of 1938, but the disease really manifested itself in spring training in 1939. As the '39 regular season began, Gehrig's bat speed had slowed, and he was slow moving and awkward both in the field and on the bases. Lou played in the initial eight games of the '39 regular season, only batting .143, with no extra base hits. Before a game at Detroit, Gehrig went to Yankee manager Joe McCarthy and requested that he be removed from the Bronx Bombers' lineup because he felt he was hurting the team. McCarthy acceded to Lou's request, and Gehrig's streak ended. Gehrig stayed on as the non-playing Yankees captain for the '39 season, but never again played in the Majors. On July 4, 1940, Lou was honored at Yankee Stadium on "Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day." On that afternoon, the Iron Horse gave his legendary "luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech, preserved on newsreel film and recreated by Gary Cooper in the movie The Pride of the Yankees. On June 2, 1941, Lou Gehrig passed away, from the effects of ALS.
The offered Lou Gehrig single-signed baseball is an Official American League Ball (Harridge). The lettering of the American League (Harriage) stamp is visible. Gehrig used blue fountain ink to craft his signature on the sweet spot. The ball comes with a PSA LOA for the signature (AT04554). Very rare sweet spot Gehrig single signed baseball.
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