Two noteworthy events took place on May 2 in baseball history.

  • Lou Gehrig’s Consecutive Game streak ended at 2,130 on this day in 1939.
  • On this day in 1954, Stan Musial hit five home runs in a doubleheader against the Giants.

Lou Gehrig’s Streak Ends:

The Yankees were facing the Tigers at the old Briggs Stadium in Detroit. As of late, Gehrig had been struggling mentally and physically and told his manager Joe McCarthy that someone else would be better served to play than him. He encouraged Babe Dahlgren, and the game would start. At the start of the game, the announcers stated: “Ladies and Gentleman, this is the first time Lou Gehrig’s name will not appear on the Yankees lineup in 2,130 consecutive games”. Tiger fans would then stand up and give Gehrig the proper ovation that he deserved. However, Gehrig would sit in the dugout and get choked up. 

The Yankees and Gehrig thought he would return on the right foot with some rest and time off. However, he was later diagnosed with ALS; in July of that year, he was forced into retirement, leaving a lot of baseball on the table.

Stan Musial Hits 5 HRs in Doubleheader:

On this day in 1954, the Cardinals hosted the Giants in the old Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. There would be a doubleheader; Stan Musial would become the first player ever to combine for five home runs in a doubleheader. In Game 1, he hit three home runs; in Game 2, he hit two. After the Double header, reporters told Musial himself that had never been done before. Musial stated: “I still can’t believe it; you mean real sluggers like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ralph Kiner-men like them never hit five home runs in a doubleheader.” 

That feat would happen again on August 1 of 1972, by Nate Colbert of the Cardinals. Who, by the way, was at that game in 1954, cheering on his boyhood idol Stan Musial. 

References:

  1. Dawson, James P. 2,130 Games, and Gehrig Sits Down via The New York Times Published May 2, 1939: https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/year_in_sports/05.02.html?scp=7&sq=gehrig%2520streak%2520ends%2520detroit&st=cse
  2. Rememberyourbirds. May 2, 1954: Stan Musial hits record five home runs in doubleheader vs. Giants via STLRedBirds: https://www.stlredbirds.com/2022/03/15/stan-musial-hits-five-home-runs-in-doubleheader-vs-giants/