WATCH: Yankees stars pay tribute to Lou Gehrig’s iconic ‘luckiest man speech’ on special day
Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig is one of the best baseball players of all time. His major league career started on June 1, 1925, with the New York Yankees. Gehrig took over as the starting first baseman for the Yankees, replacing Wally Pipp.
Lou Gehrig's career was cut short when he retired at the age of 36 due to a disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, from which he succumbed to his death on June 2, 1941.
To honor him, Major League Baseball started Lou Gehrig Day on June 2, 2021, the 80th anniversary of his death. This year marks the fourth Lou Gehrig Day, and the New York Yankees paid their tribute to him in a video shared on social media.
“Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth” - Lou Gehrig
Here's the video:
Several Yankees stars, including manager Aaron Boone, can be seen in a video reciting Lou Gehrig’s ‘luckiest man’ speech with Gehrig's jersey number "4," displayed behind them.
In this iconic speech on July 4, 1939, Gehrig bid farewell to baseball due to his illness. This ALS disease affects the nerves that control muscles and is now widely known as “Lou Gehrig's disease”.
During his career, Gehrig achieved numerous milestones, including a seven-time All-Star, six-time World champion and two-time AL MVP. He famously played 2,130 games in a row without missing one, setting a record that stood unbroken for decades.
Yankees captain Aaron Judge breaks Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth's record
The New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has been a formidable force in the 2024 season setting several records. On Friday, he added another against the San Francisco Giants.
Judge hit a three-run homer in the third inning, bringing his total count of extra-base hits in May to 25 surpassing the previous team record held by Lou Gehrig (24) and Babe Ruth (24) for the most in Yankees history.
Aaron Judge continues to lead the charts with 21 home runs of the season with an average of .288 and 1.075 OPS. The New York Yankees secured a 7-5 victory in their most recent game, completing a sweep of the San Francisco Giants in a three-game series.