The Iron Horse

"The boy picked up a bat - one of Ruth's by some curious chance - and advanced to the plate. He was obviously nervous, missed the first two pitches, then bounced one weakly over second base. Then he hit one that soared into the right field bleachers, high up, where only Ruth had ever hit a ball...He hit another ball in there - another - still another. His nervousness had slipped from him now. 'That's enough,' Huggins cried. 'He turned to the players. 'His name's Gehrig,' he said, and walked slowly behind the hulking figure of the youngster toward the dugout. The players looked after them in silence." - Frank Graham

The year is 1925. Your name is Wally Pipp. You are the first baseman for the best team in baseball, the New York Yankees. One day, during batting practice, you get conked on the head. You are pulled from the lineup in favor of a twenty one year old kid who, prior to this year, had a total of 38 major league at bats. You don't mind because you think, "what's he gonna do? Take away my job?" Well, yeah. And he didn't stop for 2,130 consecutive games. Actually he had pinch hit the day before, so I guess it was 2,129 consecutive games but you get the idea.

Don't get me wrong. I have nothing but admiration for Cal Ripken, Jr. I thought he truly deserved a spot on the "All Century" team. You can't ask more from a shortstop than he has given to the game. But Heinrich Ludwig "Lou" Gehrig played his streak in an era before nutritionists, personal trainers, and whirlpools came into the picture.

This one was a layup. No other man on this list could even approach Gehrig's greatness. Some of his achievements in the game include:

Gehrig played most of his career in Ruth's shadow. Some contend that he motivated Ruth. That, were it not for Gehrig, Ruth may never hit 60 homers. The Babe's quote, after he hit number 60 in 1927, was "Sixty, count 'em, sixty! Let's see some other son of a bitch match that!" One can only wonder if the son of a bitch to whom the Babe referred in that sentence might have been Gehrig.

Well Gehrig never hit sixty. He did hit over forty homers five times though and had more than 150 RBI in seven seasons. His streak stopped on the tragic news that he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, later known as "Lou Gehrig's disease".

No player in the history of sports went out with more grace, class, and dignity. His stirring speech at Yankee stadium included the now famous line "I may have been given a bad break, but with all this I have a lot to live for. Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." No Lou, we were lucky to have had you.

The new poll wants to know who was the best commander in chief of the last half of the 20th century?

Sunday's poll will go to the boob tube. What is the best comedy ever on TV? Sitcom or cartoon, it doesn't matter. Which one was consistently funniest? Send your nominations to lawdogusc@hotmail.com.

Poll Topic: Best 20th Century First Baseman
Lou Gehrig	59.8% - (252 Votes)
Mark McGwire	7.8% - (33 Votes)
Willie McCovey	4.9% - (21 Votes)
Harmon Killebrew	4.7% - (20 Votes)
Jeff Bagwell	3.8% - (16 Votes)
Hank Greenberg	3.5% - (15 Votes)
Steve Garvey	3.5% - (15 Votes)
Keith Hernandez	2.6% - (11 Votes)
Jimmie Foxx	2.6% - (11 Votes)
Eddie Murray	2.3% - (10 Votes)
Rafael Palmeiro	1.4% - (6 Votes)
Fred McGriff	1.1% - (5 Votes)
Frank Thomas	0.9% - (4 Votes)
Buck Leonard	0.4% - (2 Votes)
Bill Terry	0% - (0 Votes)
George Sisler	0% - (0 Votes)
Total Votes: 421