ManintheBlackSuitFP

"Lou Gehrig was the type of ball player to command respect, even if you weren’t his teammate. To see his broad back and muscular arms as he spread himself at the plate was to give the impression of power as no other ball player I ever saw gave it. I not only admired Lou but I was amazed by him. I had read of course, how he had gone along for seasons in the shadow of Babe Ruth, but Ruth wasn’t with the Yankees when I first joined the club. I thought all eyes would be on Gehrig, but found instead that the spotlight was on me, a rookie from the Coast. Gehrig had played eight years without missing a ball game for the Yankees before I ever played professionally. The fact that he was being taken for granted didn’t bother Gehrig a bit. He was courteous, gracious and informative whenever the writers asked him anything, but he didn’t mind being left to himself. Whatever Lou does in the future doesn't count. He has had fourteen great seasons, and I mean great. If I could have only ten of them, I'd be satisfied. Here's a fellow who has lasted 'til he's thirty-six, and only this morning I was wondering and me twenty-four, how long I'll last. Say, if I could go ten more years, 'til I'm thirty-four, I'd be glad to call it a career. Lou Gehrig welcomed me with open arms, he made the transition very easy. It was his will and desire and character that drove us to all those pennants. You couldn't help but try to emulate the man. I was proud to have him as a teammate. He was the greatest hitter I ever saw. He was my Hero too!" Joe DiMaggio.