This Date In Baseball History - May 2nd

[CalifYanksFan]

http://a1100.g.akamaitech.net/7/1100/995/2193ee1329534b/cbs.sportsline.com/images/baseball/mlbcom/history/GehrigRuth7439.jpg
Two months after Lou Gehrig's last game, Babe Ruth gave him a final congratulations.

On this date in 1939, Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees did not play against the Detroit Tigers, ending his consecutive games played streak at 2,130. Gehrig never played again and died two years later of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. His record stood for 56 years.

Also on this date:
1917 -- Fred Toney of the Cincinnati Reds and Hippo Vaughn of the Chicago Cubs pitched a double no-hitter for nine innings, but the Reds won 1-0 on two hits in the 10th. Jim Thorpe drove in the winning run.

1923 -- Walter Johnson recorded his first shutout of the season and the 100th of his Major League career as the Washington Senators defeated the New York Yankees 3-0.

1954 -- Stan Musial hit five home runs in a doubleheader split with the New York Giants. The Cardinals won the first game 10-6, but lost the second 9-7.

1995 -- Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first Japanese native in three decades to play in the Majors. Nomo pitched five scoreless innings of one-hit ball, but the Dodgers blew a 3-0 lead and lost to San Francisco 4-3.

[JimF]

I could be wrong, but wasn't that on Sunday? He didn't play the second game of a doubleheader in Cleveland... I could be wrong, but I think I remember correctly.

[penguin4]

Here's another interesting bit of information:

Did you know there is evidence to suggest that Lou did not die of ALS, like everyone thinks? According to a lecture my dad (who's a doctor) once went to, studies have been done that he was misdiagnosed; there are some forms of cancer that can cause paralysis (spinal, I guess...not sure, my dad got too technical with me). Suspicion arose, i think, partially because most people with ALS don't get it until they're in their 50's at least -- and Lou was only 37 when he died. And you have to remember that medical science was nowhere near as advanced as it is now, so it is altogether possible, because you can't diagnose someone with ALS -- it's discovered among patients by process of elimination, if I'm not mistaken...
Interestingly enough, when this shocking medical report came out, it was decided that it should be kept quiet, for historical purposes, I think. So very few people know. But imagine that! Lou Gehrig did NOT have Lou Gehrig's disease!!!