On September 20, 1931 -which is no small thing, since then 90 years have passed- Lou Gehrig drove in four runs, which catapulted the Yankees to victories of 7-1 and 10-3 over the Indians, although no longer a chance. some of displacing the Philadelphia Athletics from the top of the American League.
Perhaps it was for this reason that Gehrig and his teammates, and even the fans at Yankee Stadium, did not enjoy the sweep over Cleveland as expected, despite the fact that the left-handed slugger had entered the history of the big leagues during the double day. .
He had become the AL’s first hitter to drive in at least 180 runs in a single season, and just the second in the entire big carp. Which was not an extraordinary event in Gehrig’s case, either. The four RBIs totaled 181, enough to surpass the record of 173 held by Gehrig himself since 1927, and which he had already broken on September 15.
The Yankees held six more challenges before the end of the regular season, which Gehrig took advantage of to push in four more runs to finish with 185, which remains the highest number in American League memories, only surpassed by 191 RBIs. by Hack Wilson in 1930 with the Chicago Cubs in the NL.
Gehrig made home plate runs his trademark.
In his 17 campaigns in the big top, in thirteen he drove at least a hundred and in five he was the leader of the department, while in three of the seasons that did not exceed a hundred, perhaps he did not do so because he barely participated in 31 meetings between the three campaigns. However, in the middle of this exhibition there is a mystery. Gehrig was routinely the Yankees’ fourth batter, just ahead of Babe Ruth. What is that mystery?
Ruth and Gehrig have been for many the most notable power duet in the memoirs of the big top. A recognition that has no other argument in its favor than its numbers, particularly home runs, and in extension the RBIs.
The point is, the pair lived together in New York for nine seasons, from 1926 to 1934, and one still wonders how Gehrig pushed that many lines while trailing Ruth in the offensive order.
Or to be more exact, how it drove them if Ruth also added that many. In fact, on two occasions he was the first in the department while Gehrig was the first in five.
In those nine seasons Ruth drove in 145, 164, 142, 154, 152, 162, 137, 103 and 84. Gehrig, 102, 175, 142, 126, 174, 184, 151, 139 and 165. How did he do it? To add to the puzzle, they were both left-handed hitters. I mean, one right-handed pitcher – the majority – was not intentionally walking Ruth to pitch to Gehrig. Who knows where the mystery is.
