Starting Nine: Steel of the Iron Horse

Two days later, Gehrig removed himself from the Yankees lineup in Detroit. The career of the Iron Horse had come to an end.

A decade later, the Yankees donated Gehrig’s locker – along with Babe Ruth’s – to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. It remains on exhibit, telling the story of Gehrig’s singular journey through baseball history.

Gehrig played for the Yankees for 17 seasons, hitting .340 with 493 home runs, 1,995 RBI and 1,888 runs scored. As a teammate of Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio, Gehrig bridged the gap between two Yankees dynasties and was a part of seven teams that won World Series titles.

But it was his consecutive games streak that turned him into a national icon.

After being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Gehrig sought treatment throughout 1939 before attending Lou Gehrig Day at Yankee Stadium on July 4 of that year.

It was then that he told the world he was “the luckiest man on the face of the earth” – instantly creating a legend that would become a part of the game’s mythology.

The trophy Gehrig received that day from his Yankees teammates – one of his most treasured possessions – is on display at the Hall of Fame inside his locker, along with a game-worn cap and a jersey he wore during the 1939 season.