(LOT 678)
1939 Lou Gehrig & Babe Dahlgren Shaking Hands in the Dugout After Gehrig Removed Himself from the Lineup - Associated Press Type 1 Photo – Measures Approx. 7" x 9" – PSA Type 1 Encapsulation
One of our National Pastime's monumental moments took place on May 2, 1939 when Lou Gehrig ended his remarkable 2,130-consecutive game streak at Detroit's Briggs Stadium. 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! 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 be replaced by young first baseman Babe Dahlgren who remarkably belted a home run that same day, helping the Yankees demolish the Tigers by a 22-2 score.

This 7" x 9" photo depicts the "Iron Horse" shaking hands with Dahlgren after his amazing streak had come to an abrupt end and emanates awe-inspiring eye appeal, with only some modest paper "rippling" evident along the horizontal borders. The verso reveals a critical May 3, 1939 ink stamp placing the image exactly at the time Gehrig pulled himself from the lineup, as well as a somewhat faint Associated Press credit stamp and newspaper caption detailing how Joe McCarthy feels the Yankees are still a very strong team without their valiant Captain in the lineup. As virtually every baseball fan knows, Gehrig's iconic moment would come only two months later when on July 4th before a packed Yankee Stadium house on "Lou Gehrig Day", he would deliver his incomparable "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" farewell speech that will forever reside as our National Pastime's "Gettysburg Address!"

MIN BID $300
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