.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
拍品專文
Louis Henry Gehrig first garnered attention for his skill on the field while still a teenager and playing for Commerce High School in Washington Heights. Then seventeen years old, “Lou” appeared in a game at Cubs Park (now Wrigley Field) and hit a grand slam which soared out of the park; an unheard of feat at the time. He would go on to study engineering at Columbia University where he had been recruited to play football on a scholarship but found his greatest success with the baseball team. Two years in, and finding the coursework too challenging, he signed with the Yankees in April of 1923. He joined their Minor League affiliate Hartford team and posted impressive numbers hitting (.344) with (61) home runs in (193) games in 1923 and 1924. When in need of a pinch hitter he would join the Yankees Major League team for a short time in 1923 but their talented first baseman Wally Pipp occupied what was to be Gehrig’s spot on the roster. On June 1, 1925, Pipp, who had been in a slump, took himself out the lineup sighting a headache and was replaced by the young Gehrig. Pipp would never get his old job back. Taking the field that day Gehrig embarked on a remarkable streak of consecutive games played which stretched until April 30, 1939. A total of (2,130) games played without ever missing an appearance. Over the course of those seventeen seasons he would earn the Triple Crown in 1934, a pair of American League Most Valuable Player awards, lead the League in home runs three times and RBI’s five times, and help lead the Yankees to six World Series Championships.
Although the New York Yankees again secured the World Championship title in 1938, there were anomalies to Lou Gehrig's performance during the season. His numbers, by mortal standards, were very fine, but in comparison to his typical career statistics, there was a marked drop. In late 1938, Lou Gehrig explained, "I tired mid-season. I don't know why, but I just couldn't get going again." Even during the 1938 World Series, Lou managed only four singles, which was further indication of his notable drop in power hitting. With the coming of spring in 1939, the Yankees readied themselves to defend their two previous consecutive World Championships. At the very beginning of Spring Training, it was evident that something was not right with Lou Gehrig. Sportswriter James Kahn remarked at the time, "I think there is something wrong with him. Physically wrong, I mean. I don't know what it is, but I am satisfied that it goes far beyond his ball-playing. I have seen ballplayers 'go' overnight, as Gehrig seems to have done. But they were simply washed up as ballplayers. It's something deeper than that in this case, though. I have watched him very closely and this is what I have seen: I have seen him time a ball perfectly, swing on it as hard as he can, meet it squarely, and drive a soft, looping fly over the infield. In other words, for some reason that I do not know, his old power isn't there... He is meeting the ball, time after time, and it isn't going anywhere." Others took notice as well. Manager Joe McCarthy, who had always been one of Gehrig's closest mentors on the Yankees, tried to support Gehrig's meager play, hoping that he would eventually snap back to the form once considered as a given for the Yankee slugger.
During the first month of the 1939 season, Gehrig's statistics were abysmal with a .143 batting average and only a single RBI. On April 30, 1939, the Yankees were at home playing a game against the Washington Senators. As the 1939 World's Fair opened across town to enormous crowds, the Yankees played the April 30th game before a modest gate number of 23,712. Little did those fans realize they were witnesses to history. Gehrig went 0 for 4 that fateful day, adding fuel to the swirling speculation that he should be removed from the Yankees lineup. The next day was a day off, before the team would open a series in Detroit against the Tigers. On May 2, 1939, Lou Gehrig sought out Yankees manager Joe McCarthy in the Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit. Arthur E. Patterson recounted the meeting in the New York Herald Tribune: "Joe, I'd like to talk to you," Gehrig said. "Sure thing, Lou. C'mon around the corner here and sit down," McCarthy said. "Joe, I'm not helping this team any," Gehrig said. "I know I look terrible out there. This string of mine doesn't mean a thing to me. It isn't fair to the boys for me to stay in there. Joe, I want you to take me out of the lineup today." While it was difficult for Gehrig's longtime friend and manager to hear, McCarthy understood Gehrig's intentions and granted his request.
At the insistence of Gehrig himself, in what has become one of the more legendary and poignant moments of the era, Gehrig mandated that he be permitted to deliver the lineup card to home plate on May 2, 1939 without his name written in the starting nine. On that date, when Lou Gehrig unexpectedly walked to home plate to deliver the lineup card, the umpires, according to period news accounts, were "stunned" to see that Gehrig was not in the lineup. Preceding the game, the Detroit Tigers announcer revealed to the crowd at Briggs Stadium, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the first time Lou Gehrig's name will not appear on the Yankee lineup in 2,130 consecutive games." During the announcement, Lou Gehrig sat on the Yankees bench with tears in his eyes, almost as if he himself knew that his body was failing. John Kieran of The New York Times wrote, "So they unhitched the Iron Horse from the old wagon, but Marse Joe McCarthy didn't order him to be taken behind the barn and destroyed."
Although there had been no foe on the baseball diamond to challenge Gehrig's prowess, he would now begin a fight the likes of which he had never encountered. More tragically, it would mark the beginning of the final chapter in Gehrig's life, as he was diagnosed shortly thereafter with a terminal illness, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Although Gehrig would press on to deliver the most famous oration in sports history with his July 4, 1939 "Luckiest Man" speech, his stature as the "Iron Man" of baseball had come to an end. Fitting for a man of Gehrig's integrity, the "Iron Horse" succumbed to the horrid disease on June 2, 1941, at 10:10 p.m., sixteen years to the day after he had first replaced Wally Pipp as first baseman for the New York Yankees.
After Gehrig’s iconic July 4, 1939 speech he would remain with the team as their Captain for the remainder of the season often taking the lineup cards to home plate before the games. Fittingly, the Yankees once again played in the World Series soundly defeating the Cincinnati Reds with their ceremonial leader winning his final World Series. Given the public knowledge that Gehrig’s MLB career was coming to an end the newspaperman and photographers of the day documented what would be the final games in which Lou Gehrig would don a Yankees uniform. Several remarkably poignant images were among those documentations to include Gehrig posed at the top of the Yankees’ dugout longingly peering out to the field. Another series of photographs were taken posed with his longtime teammate Babe Ruth who had settled some personal discord during the ending tenure as players with the Yankees to be by Gehrig’s side in his greatest time of need. Within many of these images Gehrig is shown wearing a Yankees home uniform that would be the final of his MLB career. During the 1920-50s era it was common practice for Major League teams to send their game used uniforms to their Minor League affiliates for secondary use. As such, many of the uniforms of the greatest players in history would be removed from circulation by team affiliated officials, tailors, and others rather than being relinquished to use in Minor League play. Some of the most important surviving examples of historic baseball jerseys were preserved in this fashion to include Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, and Jackie Robinson. In the summer of 1991, Lou Gehrig’s 1939 New York Yankees home jersey made its debut within the hobby. The jersey had been originally preserved by a dry cleaner who was tasked with cleaning the uniforms for the Newark Bears who were an affiliate of the Yankees. Noticing that Lou Gehrig’s jersey was among those headed for Minor League use the cleaner coveted the final home shirt worn by the Iron Horse and retained it for over 50 years. In 1991, the jersey was sold to a prominent New York dealer who then entered into an agreement for a private treaty sale to Dr. G.B. Espy through a representative at the price of $115,000. A princely sum, at the time. For context, between 1991 and 1992 two examples of the famed 1909-11 T-206 Honus Wagner card were sold for $220,000 (VG-EX copy) and $451,000 (Finest known PSA 8 NM-MT copy) which would now garner estimated values of $5-$10,000,000 and $25-$50,000,000 respectively. Dr. Espy held the jersey as his most cherished possession among his various collections of important Sports, Entertainment, and Americana categories.
Presented is the Dr. G.B. Espy 1939 Lou Gehrig New York Yankees professional model home jersey photomatched to his final appearance as MLB player in Yankees home uniform. Pinstriped home jersey has the original "NY" team logo on left front chest and player name "L.Gehrig" is chain stitched in the collar. The year, "39", appears on the inside tail in matching swiss embroidery. Proper Spalding manufacturers tag (below player name) has a size (46) flag tag anchored to the bottom. The "4" on back was represented to be the original number for the jersey which was moved to the left with a “1” (different color and texture then the 4) added to form a “41” in anticipation of Minor League use. Upon the Newark cleaner preserving the jersey for his personal collection the shirt remained with the “41” in place until its sale in 1991. Upon purchase, the “1” was removed with the original “4” expertly re-positioned back to its original area on the back of the shirt. The 1939 baseball centennial patch on sleeve is a period example, applied in the same place the original had occupied, but it should be noted that it is not the precise style which would have been on the Gehrig jersey as two variants of the 1939 patch are known (easily replaceable if so desired). Overall condition is exemplary with the heavy gauge flannel material remaining for more pliable than typically encountered. A light green stain on the upper left chest/shoulder area is the only issue worthy of note and has been professionally conserved/stabilized. The jersey has been photo matched by MeiGray to images and colorized video of Gehrig which were taken during Game two of the 1939 World Series which was played on October 5th at Yankee Stadium. It would be his last appearance in uniform at the fabled venue where he had spent (17) years piecing together one of the most storied careers in baseball history. The photographs are well known with the first (Getty: 514905422) showing The Iron Horse smiling as Babe Ruth stands to his side and the other (Getty: 517326868), an iconic shot capturing a pensive Gehrig as he gazes out from the dugout. A framed 16”x20” example (modern print) of this second pose which was within the Espy Collection is included for display.
While his baseball career is among the celebrated in the history of the game, those statistical achievements are not able to convey the universal esteem he was held in both by both fellow players and fans alike. Few men who have ever played the game of baseball left a legacy both on the field as a player and off as a man of character and integrity as Gehrig leaves behind. The offered jersey is one of a select few related to Gehrig’s career which remain in private hands and certainly ranks among the very best of that limited surviving population. The clear and decisive photo match which shows the shirt being worn on Gehrig’s final day as a player at Yankee Stadium adds immeasurably to its’ historical significance. Generational offering being presented for public sale for the very first time. Includes photo match documentation from MeiGray, a framed 16”x20” print (modern) of the Getty image cited above, and LOA from SGC Authentication/Dave Grob (graded Excellent/Very Good): EX
Although the New York Yankees again secured the World Championship title in 1938, there were anomalies to Lou Gehrig's performance during the season. His numbers, by mortal standards, were very fine, but in comparison to his typical career statistics, there was a marked drop. In late 1938, Lou Gehrig explained, "I tired mid-season. I don't know why, but I just couldn't get going again." Even during the 1938 World Series, Lou managed only four singles, which was further indication of his notable drop in power hitting. With the coming of spring in 1939, the Yankees readied themselves to defend their two previous consecutive World Championships. At the very beginning of Spring Training, it was evident that something was not right with Lou Gehrig. Sportswriter James Kahn remarked at the time, "I think there is something wrong with him. Physically wrong, I mean. I don't know what it is, but I am satisfied that it goes far beyond his ball-playing. I have seen ballplayers 'go' overnight, as Gehrig seems to have done. But they were simply washed up as ballplayers. It's something deeper than that in this case, though. I have watched him very closely and this is what I have seen: I have seen him time a ball perfectly, swing on it as hard as he can, meet it squarely, and drive a soft, looping fly over the infield. In other words, for some reason that I do not know, his old power isn't there... He is meeting the ball, time after time, and it isn't going anywhere." Others took notice as well. Manager Joe McCarthy, who had always been one of Gehrig's closest mentors on the Yankees, tried to support Gehrig's meager play, hoping that he would eventually snap back to the form once considered as a given for the Yankee slugger.
During the first month of the 1939 season, Gehrig's statistics were abysmal with a .143 batting average and only a single RBI. On April 30, 1939, the Yankees were at home playing a game against the Washington Senators. As the 1939 World's Fair opened across town to enormous crowds, the Yankees played the April 30th game before a modest gate number of 23,712. Little did those fans realize they were witnesses to history. Gehrig went 0 for 4 that fateful day, adding fuel to the swirling speculation that he should be removed from the Yankees lineup. The next day was a day off, before the team would open a series in Detroit against the Tigers. On May 2, 1939, Lou Gehrig sought out Yankees manager Joe McCarthy in the Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit. Arthur E. Patterson recounted the meeting in the New York Herald Tribune: "Joe, I'd like to talk to you," Gehrig said. "Sure thing, Lou. C'mon around the corner here and sit down," McCarthy said. "Joe, I'm not helping this team any," Gehrig said. "I know I look terrible out there. This string of mine doesn't mean a thing to me. It isn't fair to the boys for me to stay in there. Joe, I want you to take me out of the lineup today." While it was difficult for Gehrig's longtime friend and manager to hear, McCarthy understood Gehrig's intentions and granted his request.
At the insistence of Gehrig himself, in what has become one of the more legendary and poignant moments of the era, Gehrig mandated that he be permitted to deliver the lineup card to home plate on May 2, 1939 without his name written in the starting nine. On that date, when Lou Gehrig unexpectedly walked to home plate to deliver the lineup card, the umpires, according to period news accounts, were "stunned" to see that Gehrig was not in the lineup. Preceding the game, the Detroit Tigers announcer revealed to the crowd at Briggs Stadium, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the first time Lou Gehrig's name will not appear on the Yankee lineup in 2,130 consecutive games." During the announcement, Lou Gehrig sat on the Yankees bench with tears in his eyes, almost as if he himself knew that his body was failing. John Kieran of The New York Times wrote, "So they unhitched the Iron Horse from the old wagon, but Marse Joe McCarthy didn't order him to be taken behind the barn and destroyed."
Although there had been no foe on the baseball diamond to challenge Gehrig's prowess, he would now begin a fight the likes of which he had never encountered. More tragically, it would mark the beginning of the final chapter in Gehrig's life, as he was diagnosed shortly thereafter with a terminal illness, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Although Gehrig would press on to deliver the most famous oration in sports history with his July 4, 1939 "Luckiest Man" speech, his stature as the "Iron Man" of baseball had come to an end. Fitting for a man of Gehrig's integrity, the "Iron Horse" succumbed to the horrid disease on June 2, 1941, at 10:10 p.m., sixteen years to the day after he had first replaced Wally Pipp as first baseman for the New York Yankees.
After Gehrig’s iconic July 4, 1939 speech he would remain with the team as their Captain for the remainder of the season often taking the lineup cards to home plate before the games. Fittingly, the Yankees once again played in the World Series soundly defeating the Cincinnati Reds with their ceremonial leader winning his final World Series. Given the public knowledge that Gehrig’s MLB career was coming to an end the newspaperman and photographers of the day documented what would be the final games in which Lou Gehrig would don a Yankees uniform. Several remarkably poignant images were among those documentations to include Gehrig posed at the top of the Yankees’ dugout longingly peering out to the field. Another series of photographs were taken posed with his longtime teammate Babe Ruth who had settled some personal discord during the ending tenure as players with the Yankees to be by Gehrig’s side in his greatest time of need. Within many of these images Gehrig is shown wearing a Yankees home uniform that would be the final of his MLB career. During the 1920-50s era it was common practice for Major League teams to send their game used uniforms to their Minor League affiliates for secondary use. As such, many of the uniforms of the greatest players in history would be removed from circulation by team affiliated officials, tailors, and others rather than being relinquished to use in Minor League play. Some of the most important surviving examples of historic baseball jerseys were preserved in this fashion to include Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, and Jackie Robinson. In the summer of 1991, Lou Gehrig’s 1939 New York Yankees home jersey made its debut within the hobby. The jersey had been originally preserved by a dry cleaner who was tasked with cleaning the uniforms for the Newark Bears who were an affiliate of the Yankees. Noticing that Lou Gehrig’s jersey was among those headed for Minor League use the cleaner coveted the final home shirt worn by the Iron Horse and retained it for over 50 years. In 1991, the jersey was sold to a prominent New York dealer who then entered into an agreement for a private treaty sale to Dr. G.B. Espy through a representative at the price of $115,000. A princely sum, at the time. For context, between 1991 and 1992 two examples of the famed 1909-11 T-206 Honus Wagner card were sold for $220,000 (VG-EX copy) and $451,000 (Finest known PSA 8 NM-MT copy) which would now garner estimated values of $5-$10,000,000 and $25-$50,000,000 respectively. Dr. Espy held the jersey as his most cherished possession among his various collections of important Sports, Entertainment, and Americana categories.
Presented is the Dr. G.B. Espy 1939 Lou Gehrig New York Yankees professional model home jersey photomatched to his final appearance as MLB player in Yankees home uniform. Pinstriped home jersey has the original "NY" team logo on left front chest and player name "L.Gehrig" is chain stitched in the collar. The year, "39", appears on the inside tail in matching swiss embroidery. Proper Spalding manufacturers tag (below player name) has a size (46) flag tag anchored to the bottom. The "4" on back was represented to be the original number for the jersey which was moved to the left with a “1” (different color and texture then the 4) added to form a “41” in anticipation of Minor League use. Upon the Newark cleaner preserving the jersey for his personal collection the shirt remained with the “41” in place until its sale in 1991. Upon purchase, the “1” was removed with the original “4” expertly re-positioned back to its original area on the back of the shirt. The 1939 baseball centennial patch on sleeve is a period example, applied in the same place the original had occupied, but it should be noted that it is not the precise style which would have been on the Gehrig jersey as two variants of the 1939 patch are known (easily replaceable if so desired). Overall condition is exemplary with the heavy gauge flannel material remaining for more pliable than typically encountered. A light green stain on the upper left chest/shoulder area is the only issue worthy of note and has been professionally conserved/stabilized. The jersey has been photo matched by MeiGray to images and colorized video of Gehrig which were taken during Game two of the 1939 World Series which was played on October 5th at Yankee Stadium. It would be his last appearance in uniform at the fabled venue where he had spent (17) years piecing together one of the most storied careers in baseball history. The photographs are well known with the first (Getty: 514905422) showing The Iron Horse smiling as Babe Ruth stands to his side and the other (Getty: 517326868), an iconic shot capturing a pensive Gehrig as he gazes out from the dugout. A framed 16”x20” example (modern print) of this second pose which was within the Espy Collection is included for display.
While his baseball career is among the celebrated in the history of the game, those statistical achievements are not able to convey the universal esteem he was held in both by both fellow players and fans alike. Few men who have ever played the game of baseball left a legacy both on the field as a player and off as a man of character and integrity as Gehrig leaves behind. The offered jersey is one of a select few related to Gehrig’s career which remain in private hands and certainly ranks among the very best of that limited surviving population. The clear and decisive photo match which shows the shirt being worn on Gehrig’s final day as a player at Yankee Stadium adds immeasurably to its’ historical significance. Generational offering being presented for public sale for the very first time. Includes photo match documentation from MeiGray, a framed 16”x20” print (modern) of the Getty image cited above, and LOA from SGC Authentication/Dave Grob (graded Excellent/Very Good): EX