Origins & Early Life

Henry Louis Gehrig ( GAIR-ig; born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig; June 19, 1903 – June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Gehrig was renowned for his prowess as a hitter and for his durability, which earned him the nickname "the Iron Horse", and he is regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Gehrig was an All-Star seven consecutive times, a Triple Crown winner once, an American League (AL) Most Valuable Player twice and a member of six World Series champion teams. He had a career .340 batting average, .632 slugging average, and a .447 on-base average.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He hit 493 home runs and had 1,995 runs batted in (RBIs). He is also one of 21 players to hit four home runs in a single game. In 1939, Gehrig was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and was the first MLB player to have his uniform number retired by a team when his number 4 was retired by the Yankees. A native of New York City and a student at Columbia University, Gehrig signed with the Yankees on April 29, 1923. He set several major-league records during his career, including the most career grand slams (23; since broken...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Andrey Kolmogorov — Contemporary (Born in 1903) (1903): Pioneering Soviet mathematician central to modern probability, topology, and information theory.
• Barbara Hepworth — Contemporary (Born in 1903) (1903): Pioneering English Modernist sculptor, celebrated for her abstract forms and connection to St Ives.
• Bing Crosby — Contemporary (Born in 1903) (1903): Pioneering American singer and actor, a global cultural icon of the 20th century.
• Alan Mullery — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Iconic English footballer and manager known for his time at Fulham and Spurs.
• Alfonso XIII — Contemporary (Died in 1941) (1941): King of Spain (1886-1931), whose reign spanned constitutional crises and republican upheaval.
• Ann-Margret — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Swedish-American actress, dancer, and singer with a seven-decade career.
• Aage Bohr — Shared historical date (06-19 · Born) (1922): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Alfred Baphethuxolo Nzo — Shared historical date (06-19 · Born) (1925): Prominent South African politician and long-serving ANC leader.
• Abby Wambach — Shared historical date (06-02 · Born) (1980): Iconic American soccer forward, celebrated for her goal-scoring prowess and longevity.
• Bo Diddley — Shared historical date (06-02 · Died) (2008): Pioneering blues guitarist whose signature rhythm influenced rock, pop, and hip-hop.
• 1903 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1903
• June 19 (06-19) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 19
• 1941 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1941
• June 2 (06-02) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 2