This Day in New York Yankees History 6/12: Lou Gehrig’s Final Game

On this day in 1939 Lou Gehrig plays his final game as a member of the New York Yankees while in an exhibition game. A record crowd of 23,864 fans filed into Ruppert Stadium to see the Kansas City Blues play the Yankees. Gehrig played three innings and batted eight while grounding out weakly to second base in his only at bat.


Alex Rodriguez did something pretty significant as well and it pertains to Gehrig as well but more on that later....


Also on this day in 1928 Lou Gehrig has a week of it by collecting fourteen total bases when he collected two triples and two home runs in the same game. The Yankees would beat the Chicago White Sox 15-7 in Comiskey Park behind Gehrig's outburst.


Finally the New York Highlanders, later to be named the New York Yankees, were never known for being a good team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. On this day in 1907 the Highlanders committed a total of 11 errors in one game, and that's not a typo. Eight different Highlanders committed an error in a 16-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers. The Highlanders shortstop Kid Elberfeld committed four errors by himself while playing in front of the home team at American League Park.


Also on this day in 1990 in a bit of non-Yankees related news Cal Ripken Jr. continued his attack of Lou Gehrig's consecutive games streak while playing in his 1,308th consecutive game. Ripken would move into second place on the all-time list ahead of former Yankees and Red Sox shortstop Everett Scott. Scott played consecutively from 1918-1925.

Taking the Time to Honor Cal Ripken Jr.

I know we usually run a "This Day in Yankees History" post every morning and I know this didn't technically happen until tomorrow, September 5th, but since we're set to face the Baltimore Orioles in a couple of hours I figured what the hell. Let's go for it and let's honor the great Cal Ripken Jr. here on the blog this morning.

It was 20 years ago today that Cal Ripken Jr. went out onto the field in Oriole Park at Camden Yards against the New York Yankees like he had for the better part of over 2,000 games. Ripken had played in 2,129 consecutive games in his career before heading out for the bottom of the fifth inning. When Ripken went out to take his position the game became official, his 2,130th consecutive game. This is significant because Cal would tie the Yankees legend and "Iron Horse" Lou Gehrig.

Ripken received a standing ovation for over five minutes from the sellout crowd when he tied the record. Love or hate the Orioles but you just can't hate Cal Ripken Jr. Have a good Sunday afternoon Yankees family and a nice, long weekend.

This Day in New York Yankees History 6/12: Lou Gehrig’s Final Game

On this day in 1939 Lou Gehrig plays his final game as a member of the New York Yankees while in an exhibition game. A record crowd of 23,864 fans filed into Ruppert Stadium to see the Kansas City Blues play the Yankees. Gehrig played three innings and batted eight while grounding out weakly to second base in his only at bat.


Alex Rodriguez did something pretty significant as well and it pertains to Gehrig as well but more on that later....


Also on this day in 1928 Lou Gehrig has a week of it by collecting fourteen total bases when he collected two triples and two home runs in the same game. The Yankees would beat the Chicago White Sox 15-7 in Comiskey Park behind Gehrig's outburst.


Finally the New York Highlanders, later to be named the New York Yankees, were never known for being a good team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. On this day in 1907 the Highlanders committed a total of 11 errors in one game, and that's not a typo. Eight different Highlanders committed an error in a 16-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers. The Highlanders shortstop Kid Elberfeld committed four errors by himself while playing in front of the home team at American League Park.


Also on this day in 1990 in a bit of non-Yankees related news Cal Ripken Jr. continued his attack of Lou Gehrig's consecutive games streak while playing in his 1,308th consecutive game. Ripken would move into second place on the all-time list ahead of former Yankees and Red Sox shortstop Everett Scott. Scott played consecutively from 1918-1925.

Good Call on Cal Ripken & Youth Baseball

Major League Baseball has begun an initiative to expand the brand not only domestically but around the world. This is a plan that doesn’t take the easy way out and leaves no stone unturned as it starts with potential ball players as children and stays with them all the way on their quest to the Major Leagues. That plan just got a little bit easier this week when MLB announced that Hall of Famer and former Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. would begin working with youth baseball and softball initiatives and programs as a special adviser.

Cal is well known for having his hand in the process of developing youth programs and bringing the game to young children, especially those who are considered impoverished or underserved. Ripken will work with the Play Ball initiative senior vice president Tony Reagins and join the MLB Youth Programs Advisory Committee. The committee’s main goal is to evaluate and improve the quality of existing programs and identify new programs that can help grow the sport. Ripken’s biggest asset to the club may be the fact that he will also represent the committee and league in public events.

Good call Commissioner Rob Manfred and good call Major League Baseball. Putting an inspiring and recognizable face on the initiative can only help grow the sport and he brand. Ripken has helped build more than 50 youth development parks and multipurpose fields that now give children safe places to play through the Ripken Baseball organization.

Congrats on the new gig Cal and a big congrats to Major League Baseball, you got this one right. 

Tempering Expectations for Robert Refsnyder

I know, I know, I know I'm the guy that has been beating the drums for a season and a half for the promotion of Robert Refsnyder and now that the wonder child is here I'm asking you to temper your expectations for the young second baseman. I know it sounds pretty unreasonable but hear me out on this. The reason I felt it necessary to temper mine and everyone else's expectations for Refsnyder is because this, and some people can easily forget this, is not Triple-A. Throw those Triple-A numbers out the window and let's get down to when the stats and every at bat really counts.

In the midst of my celebration party when it was announced that Refsnyder was being called up someone had to kill my buzz by asking me what I would do and say if Refsnyder comes up and doesn't produce. At first it sort of angered me, it's a legitimate question but everyone who follows me on twitter and especially this guy knows how badly I wanted Refsnyder to be called up. His timing sucked but he asked a very good question and I had what I believe to be the best answer you could have. See that below.

@hecdaboss Then i'll be just as patient with him as I have been with every other prospect or every other player on the team w/ small sample

— Greedy Pinstripes (@GreedyStripes) July 10, 2015

Refsnyder could be the Yankees 5th best prospects, which he is, or he could be the team's best prospect or worst prospect, it doesn't matter. Refsnyder deserves the same patience, learning curve and understanding that any other player and/or prospect gets in this game. I have hyped up Refsnyder to be the second coming of Cal Ripken Jr. when he very well could be Billy Ripken but I only ask that you give him a fair shake and enough time to figure out which Ripken he wants to be before we start running the guy out of town.


The fans were very hard on Nathan Eovaldi at the beginning of the season even though he was showcased as a work in progress fourth or fifth starter and he has been one of the best starters the team has had in the last month and a half. The fans also killed Didi Gregorius the first month to month and a half of the season and he has progressed light years ahead of what he once was both offensively and defensively due to the fact that he could simply slow the game down, relax and do his thing. Refsnyder may be one of the top prospects and may be one of the more hyped prospects to come out of the Yankees system in a long time but he's still that, a prospect. Patience is the best thing we as the fans can give him.

This Day in New York Yankees History 6/12: Lou Gehrig’s Final Game

On this day in 1939 Lou Gehrig plays his final game as a member of the New York Yankees while in an exhibition game. A record crowd of 23,864 fans filed into Ruppert Stadium to see the Kansas City Blues play the Yankees. Gehrig played three innings and batted eight while grounding out weakly to second base in his only at bat.

Alex Rodriguez did something pretty significant as well and it pertains to Gehrig as well but more on that later....

Also on this day in 1928 Lou Gehrig has a week of it by collecting fourteen total bases when he collected two triples and two home runs in the same game. The Yankees would beat the Chicago White Sox 15-7 in Comiskey Park behind Gehrig's outburst.

Finally the New York Highlanders, later to be named the New York Yankees, were never known for being a good team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. On this day in 1907 the Highlanders committed a total of 11 errors in one game, and that's not a typo. Eight different Highlanders committed an error in a 16-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers. The Highlanders shortstop Kid Elberfeld committed four errors by himself while playing in front of the home team at American League Park.

Also on this day in 1990 in a bit of non-Yankees related news Cal Ripken Jr. continued his attack of Lou Gehrig's consecutive games streak while playing in his 1,308th consecutive game. Ripken would move into second place on the all-time list ahead of former Yankees and Red Sox shortstop Everett Scott. Scott played consecutively from 1918-1925.