Lou Gehrig

December 23, 2019
In this surprising rediscovery, historian Gaff (Lou Gehrig) presents the lost memoir of New York Yankee Gehrig (1903–1941), written in 1927. In a conversational style, Gehrig discusses his humble childhood as the son of German immigrant parents in New York City and the respect he has for his other sports figures, such as teammate Babe Ruth, rival Ty Cobb, and manager Miller “Hug” Huggins. Gehrig’s love for the game is palpable, especially after winning the 1927 World Series, of which he writes, “I’m proud of the game and all who play it. And as long as I wear a big-league uniform, I will give all I can to the game.” Gaff follows up the memoir with a detailed look into Lou Gehrig’s life, discussing his career and the exuberant excesses of the Yankees’ hell-raising lifestyle (mainly Ruth’s), as well as Gehrig’s battle with ALS, with which he was diagnosed in 1939. Special mention is given to Gehrig’s legacy; even in his final days, he dedicated his life to trying to help others who were suffering from their own hardships. Gaff’s volume is a fitting tribute to an inspiring baseball legend.

February 7, 2020

A reading of these "lost memoirs" of Yankees great Lou Gehrig, compiled from a series of dispatches to the Oakland Tribune in 1927, reveals the man the world came to know: self-effacing and without a negative word for anyone. But there remains the question: Did Gehrig write the columns? This arises because Christy Walsh, the agent he shared with teammate Babe Ruth, headed a syndicate that included such luminaries as Damon Runyon and future baseball commissioner Ford Frick. Their duties included ghostwriting articles credited to their clients, often with little or no input from them, designed to burnish the athletes' reputations. Independent historian Gaff (Bayonets in the Wilderness) barely addresses this issue either in his introduction or lengthy biographical essay, writing only that Lou "would write his account himself," and mentioning that Frick helped him during the 1927 World Series so Gehrig could focus on baseball. After that, there is no mention of authenticity of authorship. VERDICT This memoir highlights baseball and its players from a golden age would have been more emotionally and historically appealing had Gaff offered more about the subject's provenance.--Jim Burns, formerly with Jacksonville P.L., FL

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2020
A baseball icon's rediscovered memoir, enhanced with biographical material by the independent scholar who found it. While researching another topic, Gaff stumbled upon a series of newspaper columns by Major League Baseball legend Lou Gehrig (1903-1941). Those columns, published by the Oakland Tribune in 1927, constitute 90 pages of this book, with Gaff's brief biography of Gehrig and other related material comprising the rest. Gehrig was only 24 when the columns appeared. They chronicle his youthful years in New York City, unlikely metamorphosis from an awkward wannabe athlete into a Yankees icon, and wide-eyed insights into becoming teammates with, among others, Babe Ruth, who "was the first one to give me advice about keeping in condition." Divided into nine chapters, the newspaper serial portrays a seemingly uncomplicated young man whose gratefulness for meteoric success contains no hint of jadedness. He lauds baseball at all skill levels as a tonic for American youngsters. Although Gehrig decided not to complete a college degree because the Yankees offered him a contract that he couldn't turn down, Gehrig advocates for "college men" to consider professional baseball as a career: "I believe [they] can contribute much to the good of the game--and it's a certain cinch that baseball can contribute much to the welfare and the benefit of the college man." Gaff's biographical essay contains strong research and clear prose; his account of Gehrig's rapid development as a talented slugger is especially inspiring. In 1939, as his athletic skills visibly diminished, Gehrig was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a relentless neurological disorder that is often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. In addition to the biographical information, Gaff also includes some material that will be a treat for Gehrig devotees, including "Lou Gehrig's Tips on How To Watch a Ball Game" as well as Gehrig's lifetime statistics and a roster of "the careers of the many players in Lou's narrative who are now largely unknown." A simple gem for baseball fans.

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April 1, 2020
Lou Gehrig is one of the most revered heroes in American sports history, thanks both to his legendary career as the first baseman for the New York Yankees of the 1920s and '30s and, tragically, to his early death from ALS, now known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Encouraged by his agent, Gehrig wrote a memoir for the Oakland Tribune in 1927. Long forgotten until unearthed by Gaff while researching another project, it is now reprinted here, along with Gaff's context-providing essay on Gehrig's life. The memoir itself is typical of the era in which it was written: noncontroversial and a bit clich�d. But there are some revealing insights into Gehrig's view of his role on the Yankees and his feelings about fame, the latter enriched by his perspective, having risen from a modest upbringing to the pinnacle of sports success. Gaff's essay is notable for its focus on Gehrig's life after disease forced his retirement from the game, especially his work on the New York City Parole Board. Baseball fans with an interest in the game's history will find much to enjoy here.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)