Lou Gehrig's 1931 contract with the New York Yankees has sold at auction for US$216,000.

Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) was an American baseball first baseman who played his entire professional career (17 seasons) in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, from 1923 until 1939. Gehrig was renowned for his prowess as a hitter and for his durability, which earned him his nickname "The Iron Horse."

He batted .340 with 493 home runs and 1995 RBIs, and helped the Yankees win seven World Series titles. In 1939, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and the first MLB player to have his uniform number (4) retired by a team.

Gehrig was forced to retire at age 36 in 1939 after diagnosed with ALS and passed away two years later. Lou Gehrig’s Disease is another name for ALS as it became well-known in the United Stated because of the baseball player.

The present lot was a New York Yankees Player's Contract signed by Lou Gehrig in 1931. It is written on page two of this four-page "Uniform Player's Contract" that a $25,000 salary is assigned to the unbreakable first baseman, with a typed addendum assuring another thousand-dollar payment "at the end of the 1931 season provided Manager McCarthy approves of such additional payment."

1931 Lou Gehrig Signed New York Yankees Player's Contract

Lot no.: 80017
Hammer price: US$180,000
Price realized: US$216,000

Auction details
Auction house: Heritage Auctions
Sale: Yankee Legends Collection Sports
Location: Dallas
Auction date: 2017/12/10