Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-23
Harry Heiimann:
Harry Heiimann:
Te||sHow Tigers
Helped TO Tame
Rookie Gehrig
BY HARRY HEILMANN

soon HOLLYWOOD VIII release llS
best baseball picture, THE Pride
of the Yankees the life story OF
the late Lou Gehrig. Having
talked with several people who
played in this production, we are
Informed that the cinema has
loutdone itself in seriousness and
accurate treatment of this noble
subject.
Bill Dickey, Gehrig's roommate
during his career, played just plain
Bill Dickey in the picture. He
told us that we should watch for
the naturalness Of Gary Cooper,
who plays LOUIS role. After hours
of coaching by Big Bill and Lefty
IO'Doul, Gary developed a cut at
the ball as natural as any major
Lacquer. Dickey fell under the
spell of Gary Cooper's art, saying:
THAT Cooper Is a great ac-
tor" Coming from the quiet.
retiring Dickey, that's high
praise indeed. Pride of the
Yankees" should sweep baseball
minded Michigan, put it down
in your engagement book.
PERFECT GENTLEMAN
Lou Gehrig was the major
league baseball player without a
fault. on or off the field. A gentle
man of perfection, his loyalty TO
family and ball club was common
knowledge. The baseball records
he established in his 16-year
career were unimportant to him.
for he was modest and retiring.
1t was his job to do the best he
could every, day. If he established
records, he couldn't help that. But
was he always that way? Indeed
he was not.
When recalled from Hartford,
Lou was the fightinest, huskiest
and most aggressive first baseman
in the business. He wanted to
fight everybody. II was a case of
the young player who no doubt
was told that baseball was sur
Ivival of the fitteSt.
EaIl Whitehill was pitching for
the Tigers at Yankee Stadium this
day. He had the Yanks licked
2 TO 0. 1t was the ninth inning,
two were out, Gehrig at bat. Ruth
followed him that year in the
batting order.
HIT ACCIDENTALLY
Two strikes and nothing on Lou.
Whitehill, like every other pitcher,
was pitching in on LOUIS hands,
high and on the corner if possible.
Earl hit Gehrig between the wrist
and elbow of the right arm. Then
the lid blew off. Gehrig rushed
at Whitehill, challenged him TO a
fight under the stand after the
game. Never one to back away
from a fight, Earl eagerly ac-
cepted.
Ruth flied TO right, the game
was over. All the players filed off
the field. Visiting players had to
go through the Yankee dugout to
Yankee Stadium stand is well sup
ported by maze of concrete and
steel pillars.
From behind one Of these
stepped Lou Gehrig to make good
his challenge to Whitehill.. He
charged into a group of Detroit
players, as big if not bigger than
himself. No one was taking
chances. Soon Lou was hit hard
on the button. He reeled against
one of the concrete posts and went
down unconscious.
YANKEES ANSWER
Shortly after, the whole Yankee
ball club. led by Tony Lazzeri and
Babe Ruth. invaded the Tiger club
house. Then the fun started in
earnest, but police broke it up in
a hurry.
This, mind you. happened in
Lou Gehrig's first year. From
then on Lou forgot all about lick
ing every one in the league and
settled down into his real char
acter. the gentle family man, the
symbol of clean living for the
youngsters, the record maker in
baseball. the man whom the Pride |
of the Yankee" will keep living
forever.
The old Tigers had something
TO do with that.