It didn’t receive nearly as much fanfare as when Cal Ripken Junior broke his record six decades later but there was a ceremony on August 17, 1933 when Lou Gehrig passed Everett Scott to establish a new mark for most consecutive games played.
Evidence of that comes in the form of an original Acme Newspictures image of Gehrig receiving a commemorative trophy from E.G. Brands, publisher of The Sporting News prior to the contest against the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman’s Park. The 7″ x 8 3/4″ image includes a full paper caption, still attached to the back and is stamped with Acme’s copyright information. It is among the featured items in RMY Auctions’ May online catalog.
Standing next to Brands is American League President William Harridge while Gehrig’s Yankee teammate, Joe Sewell, stands to his right. Sewell was considered an ironman, too, having played in 1,103 games before taking a seat because of illness. Other Yankees look on from the background.
Gehrig, of course, wouldn’t leave the lineup until the crippling impact of ALS took hold in the spring of 1939, ending his run of 2,130 consecutive games, a record broken by Ripken in 1995.
The photo is one of more than 1,700 images in RMY’s May “Mega Collectors Auction“, set to run through Saturday, May 26.
Related Stories:
Rookie Cards of Baseball’s (Other) Greatest Iron Men
Notes: Blockchain Sales; Gehrig Letters; Ovie Pucks Bring Big Bucks; Morant Jersey; Phil’s Pulls
Wally Pipp’s 1923 World Series Champs Pocket Watch Up for Auction
Consignment of the Week: Program from Ted Williams’ Big League Debut
Single Signed Walter Johnson Ball Brings Record $315,426
Topps Lou Gehrig Day Card Auction Benefits ALS Research
