<Li> On July 13, 1934, Gehrig suffered a "lumbago attack" and had to be assisted off the field . In the next day's away game, he was listed in the lineup as "shortstop", batting lead - off . In his first and only plate appearance, he singled and was promptly replaced by a pinch runner to rest his throbbing back, never taking the field . A&E's Biography speculated that this illness, which he also described as "a cold in his back", might have been the first symptom of his debilitating disease . </Li> <P> In addition, X-rays taken late in his life disclosed that Gehrig had sustained several fractures during his playing career, although he remained in the lineup despite those previously undisclosed injuries . However, the streak was helped when Yankees general manager Ed Barrow postponed a game as a rainout on a day when Gehrig was sick with the flu, though it was not raining . </P> <P> Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive games endured for 56 years until Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr., surpassed it on September 6, 1995 . Ripken finished with 2,632 consecutive games . </P> <P> Although his performance in the second half of the 1938 season was slightly better than in the first half, Gehrig reported physical changes at the midway point . At the end of that season, he said, "I was tired mid-season . I don't know why, but I just couldn't get going again ." Although his final 1938 statistics were above average (. 295 batting average, 114 RBIs, 170 hits, . 523 slugging percentage, 689 plate appearances with only 75 strikeouts, and 29 home runs), they were significantly down from his 1937 season, in which he batted . 351 and slugged . 643 . In the 1938 World Series, he had four hits in 14 at - bats, all singles . </P>

Born with a baseball and a bat in his hand