“Lou Gehrig: The Misplaced Memoir,” by historian Alan D. Gaff, features a assortment of first-person syndicated newspaper columns by the Yankees legend himself. That is an excerpt.
The so-called “house run derby” of 1927 is over.
The winner is Babe Ruth. And nobody is happier than myself.
In the course of the season, the newspapers have been greater than type to me. They’ve in contrast me to the Babe; they’ve known as me the “new house run king”; they’ve given me the kindliest form of criticism.
For which I’m grateful — however — and that is sincere — I by no means anticipated to beat the Babe in honors, and I by no means anticipated to interrupt that 1921 report. In any case is claimed and finished, there is only one Babe. He stands alone and incomparable. He’s the best slugger of all time, and in my humble opinion, there’ll by no means be one other like him.
Until he breaks it himself, I consider that the 1921 report of fifty-nine house runs in a season will stand endlessly. I hope it does.*
I owe a lot to the Babe. He has suggested me and taught me and helped me greater than I can inform. At instances throughout the season, once I was main him in house runs, the opinion prevailed that there was a feud between Babe and myself. Nothing might be farther from the reality. After I would hit one, Babe could be the primary to congratulate me.
In personal and in public, he has at all times been my greatest booster.
![]()
And I actually consider he’s as delighted once I reach breaking a report or establishing a brand new mark as I’m myself. There’s nothing small, nothing egocentric concerning the Babe.
And now a phrase about house run hitting. If the ball goes within the bleachers, effectively and good. If it goes for a single that scores a run, higher nonetheless. I’m pleased with my report for driving in runs. I believe I’ve a proper to be. And if I dwell to be ninety and play baseball on daily basis of that point, I’ll nonetheless get a thrill once I pound out a success that sends a run over the plate.
However I’m not a rival of the Babe. To contemplate myself one could be presumptuous. There is just one Babe Ruth, and by no means earlier than has there been a participant who might hit a ball as far or as steadily. He stands alone.
And don’t neglect this.
Babe Ruth is one thing else apart from a house run hitter. He is a good ballplayer. Babe would quite see the Yankees win a ball recreation than to hit 5 house runs and lose. If a state of affairs arises which calls for a sacrifice, the Babe will do it willingly and gladly. Many instances I’ve seen him go up there and shorten his stride and reduce his swing in a frank effort to hit the ball simply over the infield. I’ve seen him take strikes proper by way of the center, so that a steal is likely to be put over or a play made that may assist win the ball recreation.
Does that sound like he was out for house runs, with out regard to group welfare or group play?
Not by a protracted shot, it doesn’t. And he isn’t.
He hits house runs as a result of he is a good hitter. When he will get maintain of 1, it simply naturally sails out of the park.
Some of us suppose the Babe can do nothing else however hit. That’s amusing. He’s a fantastic ballplayer in each sense. He can throw, he can run, he can area. There isn’t a smarter participant within the recreation — no participant with keener baseball intuition or higher baseball judgment.
![Lou Gehrig (right) with Babe Ruth (left) and Bob Shawkey]()
To speak of me, or anybody else, rivaling the Babe is to chortle. All I hope to do is simply the very best I can. If I’ve an excellent 12 months and hit lots of homers, I’m completely satisfied. But when I don’t, it’s fairly all proper.
As far as I’m involved, the Babe’s report is secure. He’s the best of the nice — and I actually consider that the one man who ever has an opportunity of breaking his report is Babe Ruth himself.
(*Editor’s be aware: Two days after this was written Ruth hit house runs No. 58 and 59, and the day after he hit his 60th of the 1927 season, a report that stood for 33 years.)