Lou Gherig (sic) at Wrigley Field, 1920

Although Lou Gehrig’s name was misspelled, he left 6,000 baseball fans spellbound. It was 70 years ago today that Gehrig hit a ball out of a major league park.

The date was June 26, 1920 when New York city’s High School of Commerce conquered Lane Tech High School of Chicago 12-6 for the inter-city baseball championship at Wrigley Field, known at that time as Cubs Park.

The game was featured by a home run over the right field wall by Louis Gherig (sic), the New York lad known as the “Babe Ruth” of high schools.

The real Babe never poled one more thrilling. The bases were filled, two were out and it was the ninth inning. Lane Tech pitcher Tom Walsh complained of a sore arm and was replaced by Norring Ryerholm.

Ryerholm, Lane Tech’s star player, shifted from shortstop to catcher to the mound. Ryerholm got the first two batters, but walked the next two. An error filled the bases.

Gehrig had been up five times and made nary a hit. He walked twice, but hadn’t been able to get hold of the ball. The crowd was wondering if the stories of his batting prowess were all myths. This time he made good. Ryerholm grooved one and the “Babe” landed on it.

The ball sailed out high and far over the right field screen by many feet, finally landing in Sheffield Avenue, and bouncing onto a front porch across the street.

It was a blow of which any big leaguer would have been proud and was walloped by a boy who hadn’t yet started to shave. For the first time the name Gherig (sic) went over the wires that stretch across the country.

“It was a homer mentioned in the corridors of Lane for many decades,” said Emil Roth, who recently retired as assistant principal at Lane Tech. “He looked the same when he was a Yankee first baseman thick legged, and wide-shouldered.”

The fabled homer is a good one for trivia buffs. Next time anyone asks “In which big league park did Gehrig hit his first homer?” You can answer Wrigley Field. And then add “they spelled his name Gherig.”