Reflecting on the Legacy of Lou Gehrig

Chris Russo reflects on the legacy of Lou Gehrig on Lou Gehrig Day.

[@Brancononordeste]

Most underrated player of all-time. Hitting 29 home runs with ALS is the most incredible accomplishment in the history of baseball, possibly all of sports.

[@snerdterguson]

Totally agree. When I look at his stats, I actually start giggling. They're that stupid great. Then the 38 year, which looks like a very good season by any standards, is really the greatest athletic achievement in history. At least that I'm aware of. Seriously impressive.

[@whitesox162]

This man Lou Gehrig is the greatest first baseman in the history of baseball.

[@TOCC50]

What about me

[@snerdterguson]

Second biggest gap between the best and second best of any position. Only the gap between Mariano Rivera and the number two closer is bigger than the gap between Gehrig and Pujols. Gehrig didn't have a huge lead in WAR, but he played far fewer games and had far fewer PAs. His WAR/162 is an absurd 8.5 to Albert Pujols, still impressive, 5.3 Gehrigs baseball reference page is honestly hilarious. That's how insane his numbers were. At least once he led the league in WAR, Avg, obp, slg, ops, ops+, wpa, runs, rbi, games, at bats, plate appearances, walks, hits, doubles, triples, homers. He is one of three people ever to win the MLB triple crown by leading g the entire major leagues rather than just the AL or NL. 4 times he had 400 total bases, no one else had more than 2 as far as I'm aware. An astounding 7 times he walked 100+ times while having 200+ times. Another couple seasons he had 200+ hits with 95+ walks. His 1938 season is, imo, the single most amazing athletic accomplishment in history. While suffering the symptoms of ALS he played every single game, batted .295 with 32 doubles, 6 triples, 29 homers and 310 total bases. 115 runs, 114 rbi, slash of .295/.410/.543/.953, ops+ of 132 That's while he's freaking dying. Gehrig was, quite simply, remarkable.

[@exdemocrat9038]

Agreed. Jimmy Foxx was just as good in my opinion.

@@snerdterguson Absolutely. Gehrig actually had 400 total bases 5 times (1927, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1936). Chuck Klein did it 3 times and 5 other players did it twice (Ruth, Hornsby, Foxx, Sosa, and Helton). Nobody else has done so more than once, and it's only been done 29 times in the history of baseball. Gehrig did it 5 of those 29. Even with the offensive explosion of the 90s and early 2000s, no AL player has gotten 400 total bases in a season since Jim Rice had 406 in 1978. Albert Belle had 399 in 1998, the most since Rice. Gehrig's 447 TB in 1927 has never been matched since and is the 3rd highest ever in a single season behind Ruth's 457 in 1921 and Hornsby's 450 in 1922. Gehrig is, without a doubt, the greatest hitting first baseman ever!

[@snerdterguson]

Thanks for the correction. I looked,and to you're right. I think I probably missed it because the other 4 times he led the league so it is in bold on BBRef. Also, thanks for informing me about Chuck Klein doing it 3 times. I had heard nobody had done it more than twice, but maybe that was in the AL. Huge fan of Gehrig. I grew up a Yankee fan and loved reading books on baseball. Since I can remember, Lou Gehrig has been my favorite historical player. I know Ruth was better, but something about Gehrig being as good as he was and still overshadowed makes him more compelling to me.

[@nikolaivista920]

Lou Gehrig will always be the greatest New York Yankee player ever!!!

[@bcask61]

You can’t measure that kind of class and courage. The word legend seems inadequate.

[@snerdterguson]

Lou Gehrig, while dying, had 301 total bases in 1938. For modern context, having one of the finest seasons in history in 2022, Aaron Judge had 391. Essentially, a dying Lou Gehrig is over 75% the hitter Aaron Judge was in one of the greatest seasons anyone ever had. He batted .295 with an OPS of .953 and OPS+ of 132. 29 homers, 115 runs and 114 rbi. Absolutely beyond belief greatness. Given the context, I believe it is the greatest athletic accomplishment in history.

[@wwpjd28]

Lou as the best 1B of all time is a Mad Dog take I can actually get behind.

[@ByGriPhone]

Crazy how Mad Dog was there at the Yankee Stadium that day. And two years later he shipped off to the Pacific to fight the Japanese. And he's still around, teaching us about baseball and basketball, what a true American hero.

[@brando7266]

He also saw red grange play,lol,

[@nikolaivista920]

Russo also tackled Jim Thorpe several times in a game against the Canton Bulldogs. Hence the nickname: Mad-Dog!! Woof, woof, woof!!

[@alandesouzacruz5124]

Great player and a great human being

[@brando7266]

Less teams back then , less bad teams,to face, so it evens out, 😆

[@ronniecozzi8385]

Not just a great baseball player but the type of AMERICAN that no longer exists.

[@TempeLane11552]

Love Lou, but anyone pre-1947 can't be considered the greatest at anything.

[@CLM1987]

Must be nice to have a wrong opinion

[@TempeLane11552]

@@CLM1987 MLB today is 42% Latin, black, and Asian. Lou was playing in a far less competitive pool of talent.

[@justinyo1796]

@@TempeLane11552 there's more whites than blacks and Asians lmao

[@CLM1987]

@@TempeLane11552 he played against those same players barnstorming in the offseason and dominated

[@snerdterguson]

Anyone pre 2022 can't be considered the greatest because pitching velocity is so much higher on average. You can disqualify every era if you want. While you discount pre 47 due to lesser competition, which I agree mostly with, while not discount I g the later generations who have access to better medicine, equipment, smaller parks, ability to really study a pitcher, watching video after an AB. Babe Ruth was swinging a bat that was around 25%-35% heavier than modern ones. At times his bat was 48 ounces. Imagine how much more power he generates with a 34 ouncer. Gehrig, likewise, swung far heavier lumber. Got better in bigger spots. Was hitting balls out of far larger stadiums. And at 8.5 WAR per 162 games played, dwarfs Pujols who had 5.3 If we are comparing guys who are close? Sure, I could give the edge to a modern player. But with Gehrig, it just isn't close. Have Gehrig be born in 2004 and grow up to debut this year, he would wreck the league almost instantly. Not like he was just a great player in his era. He was the second most dominant player in baseball during his era. Check his baseball reference. At least once, often multiple times, he led the league in games, ABs, PAs, hits, walks, doubles, triples, homers, runs, rbi, avg, obp, slg, ops, ops+, WAR, WPA, total bases (4 times he had 400+) 7 times he had 200+ hits and 100+ walks, another 2 I believe he had 200+ hits with 95+ walks. He's the goat at first base. It isn't close.