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When was Lou Gehrig's number 4 retired?
When did Lou Gehrig retire?
Why did Babe Ruth wear number 3 and Lou Gehrig number 4?
When was the first baseball number retired?
Most baseball fans know that the first baseball number retired was Lou Gehrig's No. 4, on July 4, 1939, the day of his famous “luckiest man on the face of this earth” speech.
- Lou Gehrig Day at Yankee Stadium
Gehrig's uniform No. 4 was retired that afternoon, making...
- Lou Gehrig Day at Yankee Stadium
Lou Gehrig's number 4 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1939. The Yankee dynamic duo reunited – Gehrig and Babe Ruth at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, shortly after Gehrig's retirement. Within a decade, a similar testimonial would honor Ruth, who died from cancer in 1948.
- Bryan Hoch
- Billy Martin, 2B/Manager, No. 1. Number retired: Aug. 10, 1986. Martin had as much "Yankees pride" as any player or manager to wear pinstripes, and he implanted his fierce desire to win in his teams.
- Derek Jeter, SS, No. 2. Number retired: May 14, 2017. The face of baseball for a generation of fans, Jeter played a franchise-record 20 seasons with the Yankees from 1995-2014, retiring with a personal career winning percentage of .593 (1,628-1,117-2) and five World Series rings.
- Babe Ruth, RF, No. 3. Number retired: June 13, 1948. Many consider Ruth the most colorful figure in the game's history. Sold to the Yankees in 1920, his 54 home runs that year were more than any other American League team.
- Lou Gehrig, 1B, No. 4. Number retired: Jan. 6, 1940. Gehrig was a uniquely durable, power-hitting first baseman who played in 2,130 consecutive games from 1925-39.
Jun 1, 2022 · Gehrig’s No. 4 – assigned to him by the Yankees in 1929 because of his spot in the batting order – was officially retired on July 4, 1939. That was the day the dying slugger told a packed...
Hence, Babe Ruth wore number 3 and Lou Gehrig number 4. The first major leaguer whose number was retired was Gehrig, in July 1939, following his retirement due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which became popularly known in the United States as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
No.Player Or Other FigureTeamDate119541April 6, 20151July 1, 19841May 21, 1988On July 4, 1939, the New York Yankees retire the uniform #4 of future Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig in emotional ceremonies at Yankee Stadium. For over 40 minutes...
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- ThisDayInBaseball
Feb 16, 2024 · In 1939, the New York Yankees became the first team in sports history to retire a player’s number when they retired Gehrig’s number 4. This act has since become a standard practice in professional sports, honoring players who have made significant contributions to their teams and the game.
