Ripken Breaks Gehrig's "Iron Man" Record - September 1995

On September 6, shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr., of the Baltimore Orioles played in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking the record of 2,130 set in 1939 by Lou Gehrig, first baseman for the New York Yankees. The legendary Yankee star died 2 years later from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known thereafter as Lou Gehrig's disease. Ripken, like Gehrig, was widely admired as a person, and he received 20 minutes of applause from the crowd, which included Pres. Bill Clinton, when he set the record. He had been named rookie of the year (1982) and most valuable player (1983, 1991) in the American League and had played in 13 All-Star games, a record.