Lou Gehrig

Lou Gehrig passed away 71 years ago today, June 2, 1941. A study released on Aug. 17, 2010 created speculation about the cause of Gehrig’s death.

12 athletes that suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) comprised the study's sample. It was discovered that three of the 12 had symptoms similar to those of Gehrig, who died from amyotophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

With 27 World Championships, the New York Yankees have dominated the MLB for nearly 100 years.

By employing some of the best hitters in the history of baseball, New York's continuing professionalism mixed with the shear ability to consistently win has become the epitome of their championship swagger.

Many consider the 1927 New York Yankees the greatest MLB team ever assembled.

Most of this credit is given to the heralded “Murderer’s Row” lineup including Hall of Fame inductees Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, and Earle Combs—though having two Hall of Fame pitchers in Herb Pennock and Waite Hoyt certainly didn’t hurt.

Others would argue for the 1961 Yankees—a star-studded roster in its own right with Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Elston Howard, and Whitey Ford.

Only 10 percent of the population is left-handed. Despite a world against us (looking at you notebook spirals), being left-handed has its advantages. One place in particular is on the baseball field.

The New York Yankees front office was faced with some problems following the team’s outstanding 1937 season in which they won the pennant by 13 games and defeated the New York Giants in the World Series.

Joe DiMaggio received $15,000 in 1937 and intimated that $25,000 would not be sufficient in 1938. Of course, the reality of the situation was that Joe had only two choices—play for the Yankees or don’t play.  Joe didn’t have the option of becoming a free agent.

There was much more.

The New York Yankees won the 1936 World Series in five games over their cross-town rivals, the New York Giants.

Joe DiMaggio had a good Series, batting .346 with three doubles and three RBIs. He received a warm reception when he returned to his home in San Francisco and was surprised when he was taken to city hall in the mayor’s car and was carried on the shoulders of admirers into the mayor’s office.

The 27 New York Yankees World Series Championships span over 87 years, hitting every decade but the 1980's.

I scoured YouTube for the best video representation for each of the Yankee Championship years and this is what developed - everything from Ken Burns to old Newsreels to television and radio broadcasts to fan video.

It was supposed to be a matchup built for national television.  AJ Burnett vs. Josh Beckett, two hard-throwing, old-school pitchers facing off in Yankee Stadium.

The Fourth of July is best known as the anniversary of the date on which the United Stated proudly declared their independence from Britain, now 234 years ago. Today, we celebrate the day by spending time with family and friends, hosting BBQs, watching fireworks, and most importantly, remembering the forefathers of our great nation. 

Meanwhile, this day in history is also a memorable one in the world of sports. On July 4, 1939, former New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig declared his final farewell "Luckiest Man On Earth" speech. 

The term underrated is thrown around quite frequently. It can be used to describe pretty much any situation, but is most often used for sports figures and their on-field exploits.

Yesterday, June 21st, was the 71st anniversary of Lou Gehrig's retirement. While Gehrig removed himself from the Yankee lineup prior to the game on May 2, 1939, he remained with the team as captain for another six weeks.