1986 Sportflics Decade Greats Lou Gehrig

 

On-the-field trivia: Gehrig was designated as "Player of the '30s" in this set and it is hard to argue with that designation. He was one of the best players of the '20s, too. Though his marks for consecutive games played and grand slams have been broken, Gehrig still holds many of the all-time offensive records for first basemen. His eight straight seasons with 120+ RBI are also a record. Gehrig was a lifetime .340 hitter with 493 HR and 1,995 RBI. Those numbers would have been even higher had he not been struck with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the disease which ended up bearing his name, ending his career eight games into the 1939 season, and ending his life two years later at the age of 37.

Off-the-field trivia: Gehrig was a local hero in New York, attending the High School of Commerce in Manhattan as well as Columbia University. He lived in New York his whole life, and after his playing career ended he insisted on giving back to the community. He was appointed to the New York City Parole Board by Mayor LaGuardia in 1939, and continued in that job until a month before his death.

My collection: I do not have any playing-days cards of Gehrig. His last solo card as a contemporary player was in 1936 World Wide Gum.