Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-04
Ruth Cracks Up
After Viewinq
Pals Body
Grief of All Profound
As Simple Services
Are Held for Lou
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

sad sentences were recited over Lou
Gehrig early today in a little Vine
| covered church around the corner
from his home in the Bronx.
The wasted body of the great
Yankee first baseman who died
Monday night after a brave two
year fight against an unSolved dis
ease rested in a handsome mahog-
any coffin banked by thousands of
blooms as the Rev. Gerald Barry
spoke the burial Office of the Epis-
copal Church.
There was no music and the rit-
ual was at minimum, conforming
with the request of Mrs. Gehrig.
Only those with invitations were
admitted to the final rites. The
public had expressed its sorrow
last night in line of men, women
and children that wound past Louis
coffin before the altar for two hours.
Later today the body was to be
cremated Mrs. Gehrig had made
no plans for disposal of the ashes,
but there was to be nothing NOR
bidly spectacular, such as strewing
them over the Yankee Stadium.
Mrs. Gehrig and LOUIS fond parents.
long prepared for his death, wanted
an end to the sorrowing.
Ruth's Grief Deep.
Last night they stood for hours
receiving the condolences of hun
dreds of persons prominent in base
ball and public life, including Louis
closest associates, who hurried here
by plane and train upon learning
of his death. The grief of all of
them was very real.
Babe Ruth, who preceded Gehrig
in those famous batting orders.
reached the little church last night
just before dark. With him was
Bill KLEIN. veteran National League
umpire.
Babe stood for minute looking
at his former teammate. whose
handsome face showed only Slight
evidence of the disease that had
paralyzed and wasted the rest Of
his body. Tears welled into Ruth's
eyes and ran down his fat cheeks.
He stumbled over into a corner and
buried his face in his arms.
An attendant opened a door and
took the Babe into an adjoining
room until he had regained his
composure. Then he brushed un-
smiling through hundred fans who
had trooped with him to the door
Of the church and who met him as
he came out another door. Even
in death. some one remarked.
Gehrig shared the spotlight with
his famous teammate
Babe Proud of Lou.
Gehrig and Ruth were closer
friends than generally was realized.
say their intimates. The Babe was
LOUIS boyhood idol, and. after Lou
became a Yankee regular in 1925
and he and Ruth became the twin
scourge of American League pitch
ing. the Babe took great pride in
his young teammate.
They had only one little tiff. a
member of the club recalled last
night. That was after Ruth left the
Yankees, when in an interview he
questioned Geehrig's judgment in
continuing the long, unbroken play
ing streak that finally reached the
record total of 2.130 consecutive
games. Lou was said not to have
appreciated the Babes remarks, and
there was a GOODNESS between the
two great stars for time. but they
Strengthened that out and forgot it
long before Gehrig became i'll.
The baseball men who gathered
in knots outside the church last
Gehrig as a player and as man
and in lamenting that an athlete
so big and so vital should have
fallen victim of a mysterious, in
durable malady.
Mccarthy Pays Great Tribute.
Manager Joe Mccarthy. it was
recalled, paid the greatest tribute
of all to Gehrig when. in the spring
of 1889, he declined to remove Lou
from his line-up, even though it was
apparent to every one that the great
first baseman had slipped badly and
was doing neither himself nor the
club any good. "Gehrig can play
first base as long as he wants to-"
Mccarthy was recalled to have
said.
Mccarthy few in from Detroit
late yesterday, as did Bill Dickey,
the Yankee catcher, who was
Gehrig's roommate and closest
friend for many years. kilograms
poured in from every part of the
country until there were two foot
high stacks in the Gehrig living
room.
Gehrig, who earned approxima tely
100000 in his baseball career and
who shares with Ruth most of the
games slugging records, already is
in the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown.
so there is little more that can be
done to prove his place in the hearts
of fans.
In time there probably will be
monument to his memory in Yankee
Stadium, but that is not important.
The thousands who walked past and
told him good-by last night pretty
we'll summed up the feeling about
Lou.