The Pride of the Yankees
Directed by Sam Wood 128 mins (1942)
Gary Cooper – Lou Gehrig
This film was made as a Biopic which showcases the life of Lou Gehrig, the famous baseball player who played in 2130 consecutive games before falling at age 37 to a deadly nerve disease which now bears his name as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Gehrig is followed from his childhood in New York until his famous 'Luckiest Man' speech at his farewell day in 1939.
Also Starring Babe Ruth, Teresa Wright, Walter Brennan and Dan Duryea
The life of Yankee baseball great Lou Gehrig known as the 'Iron Horse' from his childhood, through his baseball career, battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to his final tribute where he declared that he was "the luckiest man on the face of the earth."
Nominated for 10 Oscars, winning for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture
Tagline - The Crowd Worshipped Him... One Woman Understood Him!
Maria’s notes
The season starts to change— it stays light a little later each day and, Good news “BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING starts in Florida…which brings my mind always- to one of my father’s favorite films. THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES in which he plays the role of Lou Gehrig, referred to as The Iron Horse. He batted .300 for 12 straight seasons. His baseball career and life was tragically cut short as he was afflicted by the disease: ALS (Amyatropic Lateral Sclerosis)— known even today as the Lou Gehrig Disease. How awful that even today some 75 years plus later, science and medicine have still not been able to find a cure.
My father was very honored to be chosen to play the role of Lou Gehrig, but he balked at first and he knew one of his major challenges would be to try to be “a lefty” as my father was right handed.Sam Goldwyn, the producer, engaged the ‘training” services of Yankee trainer Lefty O’Doul to coach my father how to throw and bat left handed… I love this photo where O’Doul who believed that chopping wood with a long ax and from the left shoulder— with the wood-chopping stride and rhythm was essentially the same as the batting swing… made an early comment about my father’s efforts… You throw a ball like an old woman tossing a hot biscuit!!”
“Poppa” worked out hard himself at home too, working with a large boxing/punching bag and practicing bowling with his left hand so that using it would become more natural.The idea of playing such a known and beloved person kind of intimidated my father. He said “You can’t “trick up” a part like this with mannerisms or gimmicks.” So many millions of people knew Gehrig, watched him and knew how he handled himself.
When Gehrig was honored at Yankee Stadium he gave one of the most famous ‘farewell” speeches heard either in real life or on the screen.Nothing needed to be added as he walked off the field to cheers, national public admiration and tears.Lou Gehrig continues to be an inspiration to ballplayers and people everywhere who know his story. My husband, concert pianist Byron Janis, who is a huge baseball fan and I brought this Lobby card from the movie as a gift to George Steinbrenner when we sat with him at an “Old Timers Day” game atYankee Stadium. He said ‘Oh, would you like me to take this down to the locker room and get the “boys” to sign it?” Of course I said”. Byron and I love looking at both sides!
Maria Cooper Janis