Lou Gehrig

Sports Memorabilia -> Fan Apparel & Souvenirs -> New York Yankees

Lou Gehrig, whose full name was actually Henry Louis Gehrig, is one of the most well-known names, not just in the history of baseball, but in the history of sports. He’s distinguished because of his remarkable career as a player, and his dignity in the face of the illness that forced him away from the sport he loved.

Lou Gehrig played in 2,130 consecutive baseball games, a record that wasn’t broken until Cal Ripken, Jr. bypassed that number in 1995. The game that ended Gehrig’s consecutive streak came after his health began to mysteriously fail was a Detroit game against the Tigers in which he benched himself for the good of the team. The news was so shocking that the announcer told the crowd that it was the first time Gehrig hadn’t played in 2,130 consecutive games. They gave him a standing ovation.

Gehrig’s fame first came because of his hitting ability. He was known as the Iron Horse and set many Major League Baseball records. In fact, Lou Gehrig set one record that still stands today—23 grand slams, the most grand slams in any baseball player’s career.

For those looking for Lou Gehrig memorabilia, authentic autographed items run from about $5000 to $20,000 and more, so beware of cheaper auctioned items claiming to be authentic. Look in well-respected sports memorabilia stores for the best items, and look for items that aren’t perhaps authentic signed items, but somehow related to the Yankees during Gehrig’s era.

Lou Gehrig played for the New York Yankees until illness put him on the bench, where he remained as the team captain for a few weeks before leaving entirely. He was only 36 years old when he was stricken with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which has become commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The disease is a neuromuscular disease that causes a slow paralysis to overtake the individual, which eventually prevents them from even breathing or swallowing without help, while the mind stays sharp.

Even when his health started to decline and his statistics dropped dramatically from the previous year’s statistics in 1938, his record was still good, just not outstanding as it had been previously. He accumulated an RBI of 1,995, a lifetime batting average of .340, and he was a seven-time All-Star, an impressive number since the first All-Star game wasn’t played until 1933, and his career ended just before the game in 1939. He was the 1927 American League Most Valuable Player twice and won the Triple Crown in 1934. All high distinctions, considering he played ball with Babe Ruth, another Major League legend, who often overshadowed all other baseball stars.

If Lou Gehrig’s career was distinguished, so was his exit from baseball. When the diagnosis of ALS was given, it was only two weeks before he stood up and gave his famous farewell speech to a packed crowd, which stood and applauded him for two solid minutes. In that speech, he said he was “the luckiest man on the face of this earth.”

Originally posted 2008-10-25 05:00:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Baseball Pennants

Sports Memorabilia -> Vintage-Sports Memorabilia -> Pennants-Flags

Baseball PennantsCollecting baseball pennants can be a fun hobby for a sports memorabilia fan, or a fan of a particular baseball team. A collector can choose to collect pennants that were made during a certain year, a certain era, or pennants spanning the entire history of one team. The variety in pennants in colors, materials and designs is so that any collection is bright and varied, and livens up any room in which it’s displayed.

Baseball cards stand as the leader among baseball collectibles, which causes many people to overlook things like baseball pennants, which are just as collectible and can be quite valuable. In fact, as far as an investment goes, pennants hold their value steady more than cards, which fluctuate based on a number of factors. While it’s unlikely that you’ll find baseball pennants that are worth as much as the top value baseball cards, you’ll have a more steady investment and a great-looking item to enjoy.

Baseball pennants are larger than baseball cards, and more easy and satisfying to display because of that, especially for fans of one team. While they take up more room, the space they occupy is typically on the wall, rather than in albums or boxes like cards, so they’re great for people with limited storage space. They serve as decoration as much as simply a collectible display, and are easy to theme a baseball room around, or feature prominently in a room filled with memorabilia from other sports besides baseball.

Thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets are a good place to browse for baseball pennants. Many people acquire them and never realize that they might have value beyond that of a souvenir, so it’s not unusual to find a true vintage pennant in one of these relatively cheap ways! Some older pennants can even be purchased through Major League Baseball and its affiliates, so it pays to check the official sources. And of course you can purchase new ones there, too.

Online auctions like eBay are a great way to find baseball pennants. While you might not be able to find the exact year a pennant was made when you’re purchasing through yard sales and auctions, this shouldn’t deter you from getting a pennant that you love. You can always research it later to try to find the year, if you’re interested in the history of the pennant.

When looking at baseball pennants, especially online, make sure you ask what material the pennant is made from, as this should affect the price and the value. (Also look into purchasing inexpensive pennant protectors so you can display your treasures without worry.) Felt pennants are the least expensive, and the more easily damaged ones, while wool pennants command higher prices and make a better investment. The earliest pennants from the 1940s will probably cost you more than those made later, but you may be able to find a great vintage pennant for much less than you think, especially if the current owner doesn’t realize its potential value.

Originally posted 2008-11-13 14:00:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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