This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/31/2005.
On July 4, 1939, Yankee Stadium hosted a tribute to one of our favorite sons, Lou Gehrig. Having pulled himself from the lineup early in the 1939 season due to ill health, he voluntarily ended the longest streak in baseball history, 2,130 consecutive games played. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (now often called Lou Gehrig's disease), a sickness which take his life within two years. Known as "Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day," 60,000 fans and teammates attended the Independence Day ceremony and heard Gehrig's "Farewell Speech," confirming what everyone seemed to know. Gehrig's words still ring out in the hallowed halls of Yankee Stadium, "...Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth...I might have had a tough break - but I have an awful lot to live for!" This wonderfully haunting relief painting celebrating that day was done by renowned New York painter and sculptor Steve Sax. Sax's works of mixed and multimedia have depicted some of America's most popular sports heroes and celebrities, in a camp style reminiscent of master of Pop art Red Grooms. This piece is done in the relief style, where part of the artwork protrudes slightly from the base, while still being attached. Made entirely of wood, the base measures 60" wide by 48" tall. The backdrop of Yankee Stadium has been painted on the wood, with advertising signs, the clock, the courthouse and swirling clouds. On the left side, attached to a 4" long wood block, is a wood cutout in relief that has been painted with likenesses of several of Gehrig's Yankee teammates, including Joe DiMaggio (second from left). This piece is 33" wide and 33" tall to 12" tall, left to right. On the right, attached to an 8" block of wood, is a wood cutout in relief onto which has been painted the likeness of Lou Gehrig, hat in hand, giving his farewell speech. On the far right base is painted a rendition of Babe Ruth, in civilian clothes. As this artwork was meant to be hung on the wall (there is a twisted wire on the back), also included is an adjustable height vintage Shure Model 515 Sonodyne Dynamic microphone. The microphone is meant to be placed in front of the artwork and raised to level of Gehrig's head, so as to truly simulate the moment he gave his famous speech. This artwork originally hung in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and later in Mickey Mantle's Restaurant in New York City. This item will be expensive to ship.