When I was a little girl growing up in the Bronx, I remember how every spring, baseball ruled the vacant lots and street scene. Balls, bats, and mitts were the rage. If you weren’t chosen to play, then you were watching and cheering from the sidelines. I was a watcher. I was too small and short for anything else, but I didn’t mind. It was great fun being a part of New York’s tradition when warmer weather magically appeared. My Dad and brother were huge Yankee fans hence, I was too.
As a little girl who loved playing with her dolls, it was tough getting into the “boys” club.” I was never invited. I just would sit in our living room, while they were glued to our minuscule black and white tv. I started collecting baseball cards, and I was a few years older, I was in love with Mickey Mantle. I secretly wanted to have his children. I used to dream about meeting the “legends” like Yogi Berra, Babe Ruth, and of course, Lou Gehrig. My father told me the tragic story about Lou. It was hard to imagine, an athlete as strong and talented as he was, to have to walk away while he still could.
Lou’s life had an impact on my dad and me. Sometimes things are just out of your control and there is nothing a person can do except be the best he can be for as long as he can. New York was proud to call Lou Gehrig as one of their own. This is why he will always be THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES. I will always think of my dad and my old, Bronx childhood whenever March rolls around.
THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES received eleven Oscar nominations in 1942, including Best Picture and Actor, but only walked away with one golden statuette for Best Editing. The director, Sam Wood, said films about sports always have a hard time at the box office. The public didn’t agree and saw this great film as a beautiful tribute to a man who was deserving not only as a phenomenal baseball player but also a kind, caring human being.
The music scored throughout the entire film was different riffs of TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME. This was exactly where the audience was guided as Lou Gehrig’s amazing career was showcased interspersed with authentic clips from a time long ago. The Yankees locker room was exciting with “the Babe” himself participating in several scenes. Also included in the brilliant cast were Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, and Walter Brennan,
Gary Cooper was Lou Gehrig. Lou’s wife was overwhelmed when she saw Gary portraying her husband on screen. In an interview, she said Gary was able to capture every nuance about her gentle, baseball giant. It was like looking into a mirror and watching Gary’s perfect characterization, because it was so spot-on, except for the ball playing. (Lou was signed on to the Yankees at only nineteen.) Months of training were involved to enable Gary to make him appear believable as a professional ball player.
Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, which affects the neurons that control the body’s muscles. It is an insidious disease that is still incurable today. Lou was the “luckiest man on the face of the Earth” to have had those sixteen Yankee years, his beloved fans, friends, and supportive, loving family. He inspired millions how to live humbly and with grace. The movie echoed this with superb, heartfelt, honest writing, shown within every frame by the entire ensemble. The unique camera work produced shadows and angles that made the audience feel the rhythm of baseball.
THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES is more than just another journey through sports. It was a sentimental and romantic story about a poor kid who achieved his dream. It had depth and tenacity that came from Lou’s gut and soul. It is a classic sports film that instills hope and admiration in everyone who passionately seeks to achieve their dream. It is streaming on Peacock.
