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OT: Who was the unluckiest athlete in memory?

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dcf4psu

All-Conference
Nov 7, 2003
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Lou Gehrig. His last full year was in 1938 and he was 35. He batted .295 with 29 HR and 114 RBI. These numbers were awful for him and the press couldn't believe how poorly he was playing not realizing he put up these numbers while having ALS. He died in 1941. Who knows what his final career numbers would have been if he got to finish his career on his terms. I have read two books on Gehrig, one about his career and the other chronicling his remarkable 1938 season. When he entered the doctors office at the Mayo Clinic the doctor knew immediately his diagnosis. Still no cure today.
 
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op2

All-Conference
Mar 16, 2014
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dcf4psu said:
Lou Gehrig. His last full year was in 1938 and he was 35. He batted .295 with 29 HR and 114 RBI. These numbers were awful for him and the press couldn't believe how poorly he was playing not realizing he put up these numbers while having ALS. He died in 1941. Who knows what his final career numbers would have been if he got to finish his career on his terms. I have read two books on Gehrig, one about his career and the other chronicling his remarkable 1938 season. When he entered the doctors office at the Mayo Clinic the doctor knew immediately his diagnosis. Still no cure today.
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90 years on and we have made amazing technological advances in lots of things and yet still no cure for ALS. That's sad.

I've read a couple books on Lou Gehrig too. He was an interesting guy. He was kind of the anti-Ruth. Ruth had a big, bombastic personality and Gehrig was quiet and mellow.

One of the books I read included some correspondence between Gehrig and his doctors at the Mayo Clinic. The doctor kept the letters and eventually his descendants inherited them and they were included in the book. As I recall, Gehrig didn't even know the seriousness of his condition, early on at least, I don't know about later.

There was a line he wrote to the doctor that was something like "I do not want to be a hero nor do I want to be a crybaby but I would like to know the truth if any." That may not be exactly correct but the impression it conveyed was, Gehrig neither wanted to be Mister Tough Guy, nor did he want to wallow like a baby, but rather he simply wanted to know the truth. I don't know if the doctor ever gave it to him.
 
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Player2BNamedL8r

Player2BNamedL8r

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Jan 3, 2012
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Not sure that he fits into the original poster’s intent for this topic, but I always think of Mario Lemieux in these sorts of discussions. Hard to suggest a guy who’s widely considered to be on the Mt. Rushmore of his sport to be unlucky, but considering how much his battles with cancer and chronic back pain cost him throughout his prime, it’s conceivable to think he could’ve at least challenged Gretzky’s all-time numbers…definitely would’ve cemented himself just behind him in that rarified stratosphere.
 
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KingLando

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
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op2 said:
90 years on and we have made amazing technological advances in lots of things and yet still no cure for ALS. That's sad.

I've read a couple books on Lou Gehrig too. He was an interesting guy. He was kind of the anti-Ruth. Ruth had a big, bombastic personality and Gehrig was quiet and mellow.

One of the books I read included some correspondence between Gehrig and his doctors at the Mayo Clinic. The doctor kept the letters and eventually his descendants inherited them and they were included in the book. As I recall, Gehrig didn't even know the seriousness of his condition, early on at least, I don't know about later.

There was a line he wrote to the doctor that was something like "I do not want to be a hero nor do I want to be a crybaby but I would like to know the truth if any." That may not be exactly correct but the impression it conveyed was, Gehrig neither wanted to be Mister Tough Guy, nor did he want to wallow like a baby, but rather he simply wanted to know the truth. I don't know if the doctor ever gave it to him.
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Great quote...I just wonder if the doctor even really knew at the time.
 
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