Wally’s World Not What It Seemed

Atlanta Author Refutes Widely-Held Belief About Pipp and the Iron Horse

There isn’t a baseball fan alive who doesn’t know the story of Wally Pipp, the first baseman for the New York Yankees prior to the legendary Lou Gehrig. As the story goes Wally called in sick, giving Gehrig the start at first base. The Iron Horse went on to play 2,130 consecutive games—a record which stood until Cal Ripken surpassed the mark on his way to 2,632. The Pipp saga even gave rise to paranoia among every-day workers who feared being "Wally-Pipped" if they became ill and didn’t report.

But here’s the real story. Like many baseball tales, the one about Wally is a bit of a stretch. Since I love baseball lore as much as anyone, I won’t say it’s not true, but if you believe Rob Weintraub, Wally wasn't sidelined by an illness (purported to be a headache), but simply wanted  to give the young Gehrig a start at first base on that fateful June 2, 1925.

About Rob

Rob Weintraub is based in Decatur, outside of Atlanta, and writes for ESPN.com, the Guardian and many other publications. He also writes and produces for ESPN, TBS and other television outlets. The story of Wally Pipp is included in his book The House That Ruth Built: A New Stadium, the First Yankees Championship, and the Redemption of 1923. I met Rob at the Atlanta Press Club’s Author’s Party in December and found that his fascination with baseball history and the Roaring 20s comes through both in person as well as it does in his marvelous book involving the machinations of tempestuous owners and rambunctious players, all centered around the building a new stadium in the Bronx.

It was in that stadium on June 1, 1925 that Wally Pipp saw Gehrig successfully pinch hit.  Pipp told Yankee Manager Miller Huggins to let Gehrig replace him at first base the next day and tell the reporters that he had a “headache or something.” According to Weintraub’s book, a few days later Pipp was beaned in batting practice fueling the legend of the headache.

Wally actually had a very good career, twice leading the Yankees in home runs in 1916 (12) and 1917 (9), when the team rented the Polo Grounds from the Giants. He was also part of the Yankees first “Murderer’s Row” in 1918 which also included the likes of Frank ”Home Run” Baker and Roger Peckinpaugh, who combined for a whopping total of 17 home runs that year.

That Fateful Day

After he retired Pipp remained friends with Gehrig. In an ironic post script to their story, Wally, living in Lansing, Michigan, came to Detroit when the Yankees were playing the Tigers.  According to Weintraub,  Gehrig, over coffee at the Book Cadillac Hotel, admitted he wasn’t feeling well. On that very day, May 2, 1939, the Hall of Famer took himself out of the game ending his remarkable streak. Shortly thereafter he revealed he had ALS (Amyothropic Lateral Sclerosis), the disease now commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Quick takes…Weintraub’s book, which contains many other curious anecdotes and tasty tidbits about everyone from Ruth to John McGraw to Charles Stoneham and Colonel Jake Rupert, is available on-line and in bookstores—published by Little, Brown and Company…While the AL record for consecutive games played is Ripken’s 2,632, the AL record is a measly 1207, held by the Dodgers’ Steve Garvey…Finally, on another baseball note, Milo Hamilton announced he is making his last trip around the bases this year as voice of the Houston Astros radio network…check on my interview with Milo on the American Sportscasters association website… http://www.americansportscastersonline.com/milohamiltonarticle.html