Author Notes
On June 1, 1925, 22 year old Lou Gehrig, a pinch hitter for the Yankees, hit a single while batting for the first baseman, named Pipp. The next day he got Pipp's job at first base. Chances are good nobody would really pay attention to that first day of June except for one thing.
Gehrig played in every single game for the next fifteen years until April 30, 1939 - 2130 games, despite injuries, despite illnesses, until he benched himself because this remarkable player was having a bad season. The bad season turned out to be the result of his having contracted ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, now known as Lou Gehrig's disease by most Americans. Within two years he was dead from this cruelly debilitating and paralyzing condition. His record stood for 56 years. There are few legends in sports who equal Gehrig's accomplishments, but on June 1, 1925, not one soul in the stands of Yankee Stadium had a clue they had just been present during an historical event. Sometimes it takes a while to recognize greatness.
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