Spring 2020 Premium Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/20/2020
The Hall of Fame first baseman Lou Gehrig was issued this New York Yankees payroll check on August 15th, 1930, covering the pay period from August 1st to August 15th of the 1930 campaign. Gehrig began the year a little slowly, by his excellent standards before heating up and putting together a career year. His batting average of .379 was Gehrig’s highest in a full season, and he led the American League with 173 RBI and 419 total bases. Gehrig crushed 41 home runs, second in the American League to Babe Ruth’s 49, while also finishing second to Ruth in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and offensive WAR.
The date of this check is significant as this was toward the end of one of, if not the greatest statistical season in the Hall of Famer’s legendary career. Only nine years later on April 30th, 1939, Gehrig, whose body was slowed by the inexorable progression of ALS, finished 0-4 against the Washington Senators, leading the former Columbia star to end his record 2,130 consecutive games streak of his own volition against the Detroit Tigers on May 2nd. This offered payroll check has been signed on the front in black pen by Jacob Ruppert and Ed Barrow of the Yankees, with Gehrig’s full-name signature of “Henry Louis Gehrig” present on the reverse side of the check in black fountain pen.
The check is for the value of $2,289.87 and made payable to “HENRY LOUIS GEHRIG”, a sum the Yankees happily parted with to retain the services of their MVP first baseman. The amount was originally “$2,298.12” as indicated on the back, with “$8.25” deducted for “Guest dining room Ft. Shelby Hotel”. The check, which has “THE AMERICAN LEAGUE BASE BALL CLUB OF NEW YORK, INC. stamped across the top and number “1497”, was drawn from the “Manufacturer’s Trust Company Yorkville Banke Office 1511 Third Avenue Corner 85th Street New York”. Cancellation hole punches are present on this check, appearing around the “Henry Louis” portion of Gehrig’s iconic signature. This check has been encapsulated and authenticated by PSA/DNA (84125970) and have graded the signatures a NM-MT 8.