Lou Gehrig

New York’s powerhouse first baseman dominated the American League for 14 full seasons, amassing the fifth-most RBI in history. The enduring legacy of the “Iron Horse” was his consecutive games-played streak, which started on June 1, 1925, and lasted 2,130 games. Gehrig was a two-time MVP and won six World Series for New York, but is perhaps best-known for his farewell address at Yankee Stadium. Just two months removed from his retirement from the game, Gehrig stepped to the microphone on July 4, 1939. Having been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s disease”) he addressed the crowd in a moving speech, referring to himself as “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”