(LOT 121)
1939 Lou Gehrig "Sitting in Dugout" Type I Original ACME Newspictures Photo – Measures Approx. 7-1/4" x 9" – PSA Encapsulated Type 1
No one could possibly contemplate the unmeasurable shock experienced by the baseball community and its associated fanbase when Lou Gehrig ended his 2,130-consecutive game streak; pulling himself out of the lineup in Detroit on May 2, 1939. For 14 season Gehrig had steadfastly positioned himself at 1st base for the New York Yankees, clouting 493 homers, knocking in nearly 2,000 runs, compiling a sensational .340 lifetime batting average and accumulating 100+ R.B.I.'s in a record 13-conescutive seasons! The "Iron Horse". Even more earth shattering was the incomprehensible sadness that swept across the country after the Mayo Clinic's report revealed that Gehrig was suffering from the incurable ALS disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) that would eventually claim the life of this Yankee icon. Stricken to the bench forever after his excruciating May 2nd decision to terminate his playing days, Gehrig would remain with the team straight thru the end of the season in his "Captain" roll and see his Yankees claim their fourth consecutive world championship.

As virtually every baseball fan knows, Gehrig's exalted moment would come on July 4th of that season when before a packed house on "Lou Gehrig Day", he would deliver his incomparable "Luckiest Man On The Face Of The Earth" farewell speech at Yankee Stadium that will forever reside as our National Pastime's "Gettysburg Address". As a momentous heirloom from that 1939 melancholy period, presented here is an extremely significant photo of Lou Gehrig sitting on the top dugout step of Yankee Stadium with his left arm leaning on an array of bats that he would never use again in an official Major League game. Taken sometime within the two-month period when he ended his 2,130-game streak and before his July 4th farewell speech, it portrays the Yankee Captain helplessly peering at a pre-game warm-up that he would never be part of again. Measuring approximately 7-1/4" x 9" and encapsulated by PSA as a Type I Original ACME Newspaper image, you can almost feel Gehrig's anguish via his crystal-clear stoic pose. Impeccable contrast, a sparkling central image and a relatively clean surface ably assist its outstanding eye appeal, with only a few stray wrinkles situated within the upper left quadrant.

The verso reveals an exact newspaper photo of the obverse side image with the text reading: "IRON MAN" ON SIDETRACK... it's Lou Gehrig erstwhile first sacker of the New York Yankees, caught by a cameraman as he sits in the dugout watching his mates in action before game time. Gehrig, though suffering from chronic poliomyelitis, finds the dugout unappealing and spends much time with the Yankees in batting practice". As an everlasting tribute to Gehrig, 1939 would also see the "Iron Horse" enshrined in Cooperstown, New York, and his immortal #4 would be the first uniform number retired by any Major League team. Gehrig would eventually succumb to his tragic ALS illness only two years later on June 2, 1937 at the tender age of 37, with his hallowed name standing as the ultimate embodiment of courage that left an indelible mark on our National Pastime. This remarkable photo of Gehrig's final Yankee days effectively emanates all of the above sentiment, captivating its viewers and transcending us back to a by-gone era when this unparalleled legend captured the hearts of virtually every compassionate American! - LOA – PSA/DNA Type I

MIN BID $750