Rare Photos of Lou Gehrig

On July 4, 1939, the New York Yankees held Lou Gehrig Day at Yankee Stadium. The Hall of Famer was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which had forced him to retire two months earlier. In honor of the 76th anniversary of his famed "luckiest man" speech, we present some rare photos of Lou Gehrig.

Rare Photos of Lou Gehrig

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"The Iron Horse" is still the standard by which so many are measured, whether they're elite first basemen, Yankee legends, uncannily durable athletes or lives cut tragically short. Despite an early demise that limited him to 14 full seasons and small fragments of three others, Gehrig's body of work is still a thing to behold, starting with his .340/.447/.632 batting line; that on-base percentage ranks fifth all-time, the slugging percentage third. Gehrig is second in Yankee history with 2,721 hits, and first with 534 doubles, 163 triples and 1,992 RBIs. He helped the Yankees to seven pennants and six world championships, batting .361/.477/.731 with 10 homers in his World Series appearances.

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A young Lou Gehrig.

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Lou Gehrig played fullback at Columbia during the 1922 season.

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Lou Gehrig pitched and played first base for the Columbia Nine in 1923. Yankees scout Paul Krichell was impressed with Gehrig's hitting and signed him to the Yankees.

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Lou Gehrig, Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb, and Babe Ruth pose during a Philadelphia Athletics series at Yankee Stadium during the 1927 season.

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Lou Gehrig puts a tag on St. Louis Browns first baseman George Sisler in St. Louis in 1927.

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Lou Gehrig stretches to make a catch at the Yankees' spring training facility in St. Petersburg, Fla., in March 1928.

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Lou Gehrig plugs his ears as Babe Ruth blows into a saxophone during a photo opportunity stunt in 1928.

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Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig try their hand at rodeo, fresh off a World Series sweep of the Cardinals, in Oct. 1928.

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Lou Gehrig poses with his mother.

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Lou Gehrig poses with old-time Boston player Bobby Lowe on June 9, 1932, in Detroit. Gehrig matched Lowe's record of four consecutive home runs in a single game.

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Lou Gehrig, at this point 1,307 games into his 2,130 consecutive game streak, presents a ring to the New York Rangers' Murray Murdoch in Jan. 1934, who had played in all 400 Rangers games.

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Lou and Eleanor Gehrig pose on the Liner Empress of Japan in Oct. 1934.

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Lou Gehrig leans over the piano at a night club in Sept. 1935.

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Lou Gehrig enjoys a beer and a cigarette after a game in Detroit in 1936.

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Sitting at home, Lou Gehrig plays a game of cards, in Dec. 1936.

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Eleanor Gehrig accompanies her husband Lou at their piano in Dec. 1936.

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Lou Gehrig reclines at home in the midst of a salary dispute.

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Lou Gehrig signs a contract on March 21, 1937, for $36,000 as (left to right) Jake Ruppert, manager Joe McCarthy, and Joe DiMaggio watch.

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After agreeing to terms with the Yankees, Lou Gehrig and his wife depart for training camp in St. Petersburg in March 1937.

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Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio run through drills during Spring Training.

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Lou Gehrig and Cardinals pitcher Dizzy Dean talk together before a game.

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Lou Gehrig prepares for a fishing trip to Lake Ontario in Oct. 1937.

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The Yankees first baseman starred as himself in the 1938 western film Rawhide — his only feature film appearance. Here Lou Gehrig, Smith Ballew, and Evalyn Knapp attempt to figure out how to wear a shoulder and belt holster.

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Lou Gehrig stands outside Higgins Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., with his mother and father in March 1938.

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In a 5-1 Yankees victory over the St. Louis Browns on May 3, 1938, Lou Gehrig steals home.

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Lou Gehrig hits a foul ball as he plays despite a fractured thumb, extending his streak to 2,045 consecutive games on July 19, 1938.

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Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth fishing in Dec. 1938.

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Lou Gehrig gives his wife Eleanor a kiss as he arrives at Newark Airport on June 21, 1939 on his return from the Mayo Clinic where he underwent a physical examination.

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Lou Gehrig discusses Yankee Stadium's oddities with Lefty Gomez (left) and Jimmy Foxx before the All-Star Game on July 11, 1939.

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Lou Gehrig looks over some bats.

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Upon retiring from baseball, Lou Gehrig accepted the post of City Parole Commissioner. Here, in Oct. 1939, he studies books on crime to prepare for the job.