Having played in 2,130 consecutive games, Lou Gehrig’s streak–and career–came to an end on April 30, 1939. Gehrig went 0-for-4 in his final appearance against the Senators. His performance had been declining for some time, and Gehrig would later be diagnosed by the Mayo Clinic with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), now more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. During his seventeen-year career with the Yankees, Gehrig compiled a .340 batting average and 493 home runs.
I can’t think of anything more ironic or whatever than the player who never got tired suffering from a disease that wasted away his muscles. It always struck me as some bizarre and cruel joke. But ya know, the Ripken run was maybe more amazing because he played every inning of every game.
I’ve always felt the same way about it. These things just happen sometimes, but it just doesn’t seem fair. If not for ALS, who knows how long Gehrig’s streak would have lasted? I do like how both these men, Gehrig and Ripken, not only set these records, but were/are also known for their humility and character. It takes a certain kind of person to set a record like this one.
I agree and ya know, it’s not always that baseball provides such an amazing analogy and inspiration to our little lives. The perseverance and just going to work day after day after day, just carrying on year after year like Gehrig and Ripken did, like so many of us do despite all the struggles. Really amazing…all those years and not missing one day’s work.