“Lou Gehrig: The Lost Memoir,” by historian Alan D. Gaff, includes a collection of first-person syndicated newspaper columns by the Yankees legend himself. This is an excerpt.
The so-called “home run derby” of 1927 is over.
The winner is Babe Ruth. And no one is happier than myself.
During the season, the newspapers have been more than kind to me. They have compared me to the Babe; they have called me the “new home run king”; they have given me the kindliest sort of criticism.
For which I am grateful — but — and this is honest — I never expected to beat the Babe in honors, and I never expected to break that 1921 record. After all is said and done, there is just one Babe. He stands alone and incomparable. He is the greatest slugger of all time, and in my humble opinion, there will never be another like him.
Unless he breaks it himself, I believe that the 1921 record of fifty-nine home runs in a season will stand forever. I hope it does.*
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