On this day in 1925, Lou Gehrig pinch hit for shortstop Pee-Wee Wanninge. It was the first of his 2,130 consecutive days played. His durability and consecutive game streak would earn him the nickname “The Iron Horse”. His record would later be broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995, 56 years after Gehrig set his record.

Gehrig was an exceptional player who saw his career cut short by illness. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939 in a special ballot that made him the youngest player elected to the Hall of Fame (which would later be surpassed by Sandy Koufax). He fight with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, was valiant but he passed away in 1941 at the age of 37.

Gehrig has the focused on many modern cards. Among the coolest are some of his relic cards. The 2002 Topps Tribute Milestone Materials Bat pictured in this post can be found in the $75-80 on eBay.