The jersey worn by Lou Gehrig in his final appearance at Yankee Stadium has been sold at an auction held by Christie’s in conjunction with Hunt Auctions for $2.712 million. It is the highest amount paid for a piece of Gehrig memorabilia.
Many baseball fans have seen footage of Gehrig’s famous “Luckiest Man” speech, delivered on July 4, 1939, at Yankee Stadium. In it, he expressed his gratitude for the Yankees and their fans before he was forced to retire due to being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — which later came to be known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease.”
But the final time he appeared in uniform at Yankee Stadium was on Oct. 5, 1939, during Game 2 of the World Series against the Reds. Gehrig, one of the greatest players of all time and a Hall of Fame first baseman, passed away on June 2, 1941.
The July 4th speech was a sad but inspirational moment in baseball history, widely known among followers of the sport. But many may not be aware that Game 2 of that year’s World Series was the final time Gehrig was in uniform at Yankee Stadium — he had remained with the club on the bench after his then-record 2,130 consecutive games played streak came to an end.
