The 1939 MLB season was a pivotal one in New York Yankees history as it marked the end of legendary first baseman Lou Gehrig’s Hall of Fame career. After playing in 2,130 straight games, the ailing “Iron Horse” was replaced in the lineup on May 2, 1939 by Babe Dahlgren, who went out and had a homer and double as the Yankees routed Detroit 22-2. He went on to hit 15 home runs and drive in 89 runs that season for the Yankees. The great Gehrig would die two years later from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), the disease that is now named after him. The Bronx Bombers remained the league’s top team and posted a record of 111-41 to win the American League pennant that season. They went on to win the World Series by sweeping the Cincinnati Reds in four straight games.
This lot features an OAL (Harridge) baseball autographed by 28 members of the 1939 Yankees team including Gehrig. Other HOF signatures, all in faded black ink, include Bill Dickey, Earle Combs, Red Ruffing, Lefty Gomez, Joe Gordon and a young, 24-year-old Joe DiMaggio. Other notables include Dahlgren, Murphy, Selkirk, Rolfe, Hildebrand, Keller, Knickerbocker, Hadley, Jorgens, Pearson, Russo and Sundra. Manager Joe McCarthy's signature is deemed clubhouse. Signatures are fairly light (3-5/10) but still legible on a fairly clean, mildly toned baseball. Full LOA from PSA/DNA.