What Really Happened 84 Years Ago...

...when Wally Pipp took himself out of the lineup and turned over first base chores for the Yankees to a kid named Lou Gehrig?

Here is a nice story about Wally's son --
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090422/ARTICLE/904221026/2050/SPORTS?Title=Wally-Pipp-A-son-s-tale-about-the-start-of-Gehrig-s-consecutive-games-streak
by Chris Anderson in the Sarasota Herald Tribune

Somewhere along the way a man became a metaphor.

His name was Wally Pipp, and his exceptional baseball career was overshadowed by the legend of two aspirin, a headache and the game he didn't play in. Pipp's tale of bad timing transcends sports and has been made relevant again by today's rising unemployment rate and the fear in people's faces. The lesson from an occurrence almost 84 years ago:

Don't miss work. Someone younger, cheaper or better will take your
place.

In other words, don't get "Wally Pipped." "The word 'Pipped' should be in a dictionary," said Tom Pipp, Wally's 80-year-old son and a Sarasota resident. "It's used a lot."

Though the reason for removal is cause for debate, Wally Pipp is famous for coming out of the New York Yankees' lineup on June 2, 1925.

He was replaced by Lou Gehrig.

We are fortunate to have those who remember these great ballplayers to pass the stories along to today's generations. Lou's story still sets the standard for greatness and the tragedy of ALS. Wally Pipp was an important part of that story.