By 1934 Lou Gehrig stood only second to Babe Ruth as the most famous baseball player in the country. Despite winning an MVP Award, four RBI titles and a home run crown, Gehrig was always in the shadow of the Bambino – but in 1934 this would all change. That year Ruth would play his final season in pinstripes, moving to the Boston Braves at the conclusion of 1934. Even with the Babe still on the Yankees, Gehrig began pulling away from Ruth, winning the American League's Triple Crown, batting .363, hitting a career high 49 home runs, and driving in 165 runs – something even the Babe had not done in his career. Looking back at Gehrig’s breakaway season it is somewhat surprising that despite winning the Triple Crown he did not get the nod for the AL’s MVP Award. Gehrig had won the award in 1927, and at this time the MVP customarily went to a player from one of the World Series teams. MVP or no MVP, Lou Gehrig’s 1934 was one for the ages.

This is the contract Gehrig signed before that tremendous season. The standard Uniform Player’s Contract calls for a $23,000 salary for 1934, the same amount he made the previous year. Gehrig’s MVP-like 1934 season and the absence of Babe Ruth would earn the slugger an $8000 raise the next year. The contract is dated March 10, 1933 and has been signed on the inside second page by Gehrig, Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert and team GM Ed Barrow. Because the signatures are located on the inside of the document, which was then closed and filed away, the ink looks as fresh as if it was signed last week. The contract has the expected horizontal folds from storage and slight edge toning from age. A one of a kind document dating from the season Lou emerged from the shadow of the Babe and created his own legacy of greatness. The contract comes with and LOA from PSA/DNA for the signatures.

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