Lou Gehrig, Rawhide, and 1938

Abstract

Lou Gehrig was one of the most talented baseball players of all time; yet he is also remembered for ALS, the disease that took his life and still bears his name as its eponym. There is speculation about when his symptoms began. Some authorities believe that Gehrig showed signs of ALS when he starred in the film Rawhide in January 1938, which would mean that he played the entire 1938 season with symptomatic ALS. Additionally, some photographs of Gehrig showing atrophy of hand muscles have been dated incorrectly because of misinterpreted logos on his uniform. We examined the film and photos taken of Gehrig from 1937 to 1939 to determine whether he showed signs of weakness in the film and when visible evidence of ALS could be documented. Specific scenes from Rawhide were chosen to grade Gehrig’s motor function using the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS). Dates of photos and uniform logos were verified with the Baseball Hall of Fame. Examination of Rawhide showed that Gehrig functioned normally in January 1938. His ALSFRS score, modified to account for limitations of on-screen activities, was normal. The New York Yankees wore logos in 1938 that were labeled with the year 1939 to advertise the 1939 World’s Fair; the uniforms displayed a centennial patch during the 1939 season. A photograph of Gehrig from October 1939 showed hand atrophy. Photos from the spring of 1938 showed normal hand muscles and leg function, implying that visible signs first appeared after May 1938.