Lou Gehrig takes a powerful swing during spring training in St. Petersburg, Florida, on March 19, 1939. Gehrig was battling fatigue and early signs of the illness that would later be diagnosed as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), now commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease

3 comments

1. He actually already had signs of the illness through most of the previous season. Kept going to lighter bats. Still hit 29 home runs and drove in 114 runs. He would play 8 games in 1939 before his illness forced him to retire.

   Lou Gehrig says farewell to baseball with ‘Luckiest … Lou Gehrig’s retirement speech, often called the “Luckiest Man” speech, was delivered on July 4, 1939, at Yankee Stadium.

2. You ever think what a coincidence it is that Lou Gehrig died of Lou Gehrig’s disease?

3. Still crazy how powerful of a swing it looks like he still had