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In the collection is a photo signed by the Iron Horse joining forces with Hall of Fame catcher Bill Dickey to argue a call with umpire Cal Hubbard, the only man inducted into both the baseball and football Halls of Fame. The leading vote-getter in All Century Team voting in 1999, Gehrig was also the baseball writers’ choice for greatest first baseman ever in their 1969 vote.

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Lou Gehrig and Waite Hoyt were teammates from 1923-1930. Over those eight years Hoyt saw a terrific transformation of the Iron Horse from a man of “complete unsophistication” with a “mother complex” to a man “assigned by the Supreme Power to fulfill a definite mission on earth”. The entire content of the letter reveals Hoyt’s awe and admiration of Gehrig. Truly incredible content worth reading is in this correspondence between two members of the Hall of Fame.

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In the second page of this outstanding letter from Waite Hoyt about Lou Gehrig, Hoyt reaffirms his stance with a strong conclusion, “I believe I have outlined the aura in which he played during his wonderful career, both from his original naiveté, to his unblemished peak of accomplishment. I have done my part for you here and hope that it in some way satisfies.” Hoyt has signed in blue ink below at the bottom of the letter.

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One of the best baseball films ever produced, Pride of the Yankees was nominated for ten Academy Awards. The Lou Gehrig biopic is a love story wrapped around baseball. To make the movie more authentic, producers hired sports agent Christy Walsh as a liaison to gain the cooperation of the New York Yankees. Indeed, Babe Ruth, Bill Dickey, Bob Meusel, and Mark Koenig appeared as themselves in credited roles.

In the collection is this letter from Walsh to his assistant Joe Bihler on Samuel Goldwyn Inc. letterhead and dated January 27, 1942. Walsh write that he is, “very happy to say that Bill Dickey has finally agreed to come out and appear in the Lou Gehrig picture.”

Walsh asks Bihler to, “…send me as much material as you can dig up Bill Dickey suitable for studio publicity.” Walsh suggest that Bihler contact the Yankees and, “Al Munro Elias, or any other source” for “information or figures on Dickey.”

Walsh continues, “You might also consult Mrs. Gehrig by telephone to see if she if she has any reminiscence or suggestions regarding Dickey, particularly regarding his friendship and relationship with Lou.”

In the next paragraph Walsh handles a more delicate situation.  “We are trying to have Bill arrive in Hollywood a few days before Babe arrives because, naturally Babe carries more news importance and we don’t want him to take the edge off of Dickey’s arrival story. This, of course, has to be handled tactfully because I don’t want to offend Bill Dickey.”

Walsh started his association with baseball as the ghostwriter for Christy Mathewson in 1912. Walsh soon became the first agent in baseball history representing the titans of the game – Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, John McGraw, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean and others.

 

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Pride of the Yankees garnered ten Academy Award nominations in 1942, including best writing original story, best picture, best actor, and best actress. Gary Cooper played Gehrig and many Yankee teammates appeared in the film.

In the collection is the contract signed by Herb Pennock to be portrayed or represented in the movie. All fans of Gehrig, the Yankees, and baseball should see Cooper, Teresa Wright, and Walter Brennan turn in outstanding performances in the film. For more knowledgeable fans of the game, catching a glimpse of the Yankees of the era adds to the viewing experience.

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In the collection is a letter from Hall of Fame executive Ed Barrow to the sons of baseball concessionaire Harry Stevens apologizing for missing the funeral of their mother. Barrow writes, “We seriously considered attending the funeral services, and would have done so but for the fact that we were both a little bit under the weather after the strain of poor Lou Gehrig’s death and funeral.”

Gehrig, who passed away just nine days earlier was a favorite of Barrow who made Gehrig’s #4 the first retired number in the history of baseball.

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Cal Ripken holds the all-time record for consecutive games played with 2,632. Second on the list is Lou Gehrig with 2,130; third is Everett Scott with 1,307. Pee Wee Wanninger is tied to both men behind Ripken.

In the 1925 season a 32-year old Scott was slipping at shortstop and at the plate. When Yankee manager Miller Huggins saw fit to bench Scott and end the streak, he turned to the rookie Wanninger. On May 5th, 1925 Wanninger started in place of Scott to end what is still the third longest run in MLB history.

Four weeks later Huggins called on 22-year old Lou Gehrig to pinch hit for Wanninger in what would be the start of Gehrig’s own streak.

Before Wanninger played a role in the consecutive games streak of Everett Scott and Lou Gehrig he was a minor leaguer playing for Augusta Tygers. The team was named after Ty Cobb, who began his professional career in Augusta in 1904. In the collection is the agreement assigning Wanninger to August the season before Gehrig pinch hit for him to start the streak of 2,130 consecutive games.

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It must have been disappointing spending for Pee Wee Wanninger to play the entire 1924 season in the minor leagues. He was one step away from making his Major League debut, a milestone he would read the following season. The 1925 campaign would be memorable in the history of baseball and for Wanninger as he played a role in stopping and starting the two longest consecutive games played streaks of his lifetime — those of Everett Scott and Lou Gehrig.

In the collection is Wanninger’s player’s contract for the 1925 season in which he helped stop and start two of baseball’s most prolific consecutive games streaks. The front page is also signed by Hall of Fame executive Ban Johnson.

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Hall of Fame Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert has signed the contract as club president, while the player has signed “PL Wanninger“. The contract is signed on February 2/3, 1925. The front of the contract is also signed by American League President and Hall of Famer Ban Johnson.

This piece represents a historic link to two of the longest consecutive games streaks in the history of the game.

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As head of the Yankee’s from 1932-1947, George Weiss intimately knew the inner workings of the team’s farm system and its minor leaguers. Here he writes to super scout Joe Devine about various personnel issues. First among them in the letter was Babe Dahlgren who had yet to play a game for the Yankees.

Weiss writes that Hall of Fame manager Joe McCarthy, “wants to be protected to bring back Dahlgren if anything happens to Gehrig” who was in the midst of a consecutive games streak that would reach 2130 contests. The letter is dated April 21, 1937, two years before Dahlgren would replace Gehrig to snap the streak.

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George Weiss who would serve as the Yankee’s general manager from 1947-1960 signed many contracts, documents, and letters, making his signature common. However, the foreshadowing of Babe Dahlgren serving as eventual replacement for the Iron Horse makes this letter rather remarkable.

The letter also mentions pitcher Spud Chandler, the eventual AL MVP in 1943, and Tommy Henrich who would go on to play in five All Star games. Neither player had appeared in a single Major League game at the time Weiss signed the bottom of this correspondence.

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On the day Gehrig’s streak ended, Babe Dahlgren found his name penciled in at first base. Shown here is a 1939 Play Ball card of Dahlgren who would start on that fateful Tuesday, May 2, 1939. Dahlgern had a homer and a double in the game that saw the Yanks pummel the Tigers 22-2. Gehrig would never play another game.

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Many associate Wally Pipp with Lou Gehrig’s streak though it was actually Pee Wee Wanninger whom Gehrig pinch hit for to start the streak on June 5, 1925. Pipp, previously the Yankees regular first baseman would play in only 18 more contests for New York, 16 of which he appeared as a pinch hitter or pinch runner. In the offseason Pipp was sold to the Reds for $7,500.

Shown here is a wire photo depicting Pipp as a player in 1921 and before an old timers game in 1961. The caption announces Pipp’s death on January 11, 1965 at age 71.

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Autograph collectors were still searching for ways to get Lou Gehrig’s signature long after his death. Eleanor Gehrig, the player’s widow received requests from all over the country for her husband’s autograph. Shown here is a letter she wrote to a collector letting him know, “I haven’t had an authentic autograph of Lou’s for many years.”

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Angel pitcher Shawn Boskie had the unenviable task of starting the game on September 6, 1995 when Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak. In game 2,131 Boskie and the Angels were tied 1-1 until the bottom of the fourth when Ripken blasted a two-run homer much to the delight of the sellout crowd.

In the collection is a questionnaire from Boskie about his experience. What does Boskie remember about that historic evening? “The amazing amount of energy in the stadium that night. I will never forget the flashes from cameras.

“I was still in ‘game mode” somewhat so I just tried to watch it and not forget that I was witness to history.

“Can’t overstate how important that night and specifically to Cal, were to the game. We were all amazed he got that far.”

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Lou Gehrig’s record stood from 1939 until 1995. The night it was broken, Dan Morrison was the second base umpire.

When the game became official, the crowd gave Cal Ripken Jr. a prolonged standing ovation.

“To be quite honest, I had tears in my eyes watching how a city and an individual could show appreciation for something I know will never be repeated,” writes Morrison. “I was impressed how the visiting team (Angels) were willing to let the celebrating and festivities to continue to go on during the game. They were truly ‘caught up’ in the moment also.”