Oris celebrates the life and legacy of a timeless baseball icon and raises funds for the The Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation with a 2,130-piece limited edition.
IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN
Oris celebrates the life and legacy of Lou Gehrig, one of the greatest players in baseball history.
When Lou Gehrig addressed a soldout Yankees Stadium on 4 July 1939, he ended a record-setting baseball career. At the same time, he began a new chapter in a powerful legacy that would impact countless lives.
In what is now often referred to as “baseball’s Gettysburg Address”, Gehrig delivered a speech that would acknowledge what he called simply “a bad break”, namely his diagnosis with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), the progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease also known as Motor Neuron Disease. Despite his shocking diagnosis, that day Gehrig famously declared himself “the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.” He died on 2 June 1941, aged just 37. To many, ALS is “Lou Gehrig’s disease.”
All-time great Before his ALS diagnosis, Lou Gehrig had played a record 2,130 games straight for the New York Yankees.
Before his diagnosis, Gehrig had appeared indestructible. Having played a record 2,130 games straight in 15 seasons, he’d earned the nickname “The Iron Horse”. His grace and strength, even in the face of great adversity, shone through in that moment, prompting a moving two-minute standing ovation.
Such was the affection for him that in the decades since, his family, the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball have raised millions for ALS research. In the U.S., 2 June is “Lou Gehrig Day”.
This year, Oris is honoured to celebrate his legacy with the Lou Gehrig Limited Edition, a watch made in support of The Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation and to raise awareness of ALS.
FOR THE IRON HORSE
Oris introduces the Lou Gehrig Limited Edition, based on the Big Crown Pointer Date, in support of The Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation.
Oris is proud and honoured to introduce the Lou Gehrig Limited Edition. Based on our signature Big Crown Pointer Date, it tells the story of the legendary first baseman.
Among the watch’s special details is the number 4 on the date ring, singled out in blue to honour Gehrig’s iconic number 4, retired by the New York Yankees in 1940, beginning a Major League Baseball tradition.
The Yankees blue and white colour palette runs through the watch, with a blue minute track and blue outlines around the hour markers creating a warm contrast with the white lumed details. The silver dial with its vertical brushed finish was chosen to evoke Gehrig’s famous nickname: The Iron Horse.
Beyond, the watch echoes the look of designs from the 1920s and 1930s when Gehrig was playing. Much of this was achieved by gently reworking the two-tone dial. Instead of the 12 numerals that appear on core models, this special edition has a mix of numerals and indices. The minute track is reminiscent of Oris designs from the time, too, as are the white-on-black date numerals.
The brown leather strap is doublestitched like a baseball glove, while the NATO strap supplied with the watch is in Yankees colours, too.
The story continues on the case back, with engravings of Gehrig making his farewell speech and the limited-edition number. The 2,130 pieces represent the record-setting number of games Gehrig played consecutively for the Yankees.
Oris will also contribute to the work of The Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation, which supports high-impact, non-partisan causes that were of interest to the Gehrigs.
“This beautiful Oris watch reflects the same quiet strength, understated excellence and endurance that defined Lou Gehrig,” said John Howell, the foundation’s president. “In a world of flashy excess, it is a remarkably well-done and tasteful tribute to Lou. We are delighted to partner with Oris. Their support means a great deal to families facing ALS and other public health challenges.”
IT IS A REMARKABLY WELL-DONE AND TASTEFUL TRIBUTE
A LEGACY FOR ALL TIME
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone explains how Lou Gehrig’s powerful story continues to impact baseball and fuel research into ALS.
Aaron, thank you for speaking with us today about the Oris Lou Gehrig Edition. What are your earliest memories of Lou’s story and what impact did they have on you?
The thing about Lou Gehrig is that you can’t tell the story of baseball without him. He’s baseball royalty and one of the greatest players to ever live. Growing up, I remember hearing about the great Yankees teams of the 1920s, particularly the team of 1927, with Louand Babe Ruth at the heart of it. And then you never forget the first time you hear his farewell speech when he was retiring from baseball at home plate at Yankee Stadium. Tragically, he became the face of a terrible disease that affects people to this day.
Lou Gehrig played for the Yankees, the team you now manage: how does his legacy live on in the organisation today and what does he mean to the New York Yankees?
First of all, he was an all-time great player, an icon of our sport. He was a blue-collar, go-to-work-everyday, play-every-single-day kind of guy. But there was also this incredible humility to him and that’s what really came across in that speech. It seems to me that if you’re going to model yourself after someone as a ball player, Lou Gehrig is a good one. He had this desire not only to be great, but to show up every day and to do his job, and to do it with humility.
In the modern game, which player do you think most resembles him?
I look in our clubhouse and I look at our captain, Aaron Judge. One of the faces of the game and one of its greatest players. But there’s also a humility there that rubs off on his teammates. People gravitate to him, but it’s not about him, it’s about the team. A lot of those qualities Lou Gehrig had, our captain today has.
We’ve talked before about mental health and resilience. How do you rank Lou’s achievement of 2,130 consecutive games and can you put it in the context of today’s game?
I know Cal Ripken Jr. went on to break it, but I think it’s one of those records that will never be broken. To go that many years of playing every single day and at that elite level, not only does it take amazing durability, and I’m sure some good fortune and good luck, it also requires truly remarkable emotional and physical capacity. It’s why when Cal Ripken Jr. did it, it was bigger than baseball in many ways. There’s something very American about it, appreciating and honouring people punching in and going to work every day and showing up. That’s what Lou was about.
A man of integrity Lou Gehrig’s moving farewell speech at Yankee Stadium (far left) is remembered on the case back of the watch that bears his name (left and below far left). The blue 4 on the date ring (left) recalls his shirt number, retired by the Yankees after his ALS diagnosis. Aaron Boone (below left) is New York Yankees manager.
The story of his ALS diagnosis and his farewell speech still hits, 90 years on. He shone a light on a relatively unknown disease. What do you see as his biggest accomplishment off the field of play?
That adversity and being dealt a poor hand didn’t rob him of his joy, his appreciation and his gratitude. These are amazing qualities. It’s easy when things are going well to appreciate life. How are you when you do get dealt a bad hand or bad news? He revealed his character in what must have been some of the toughest and scariest moments of his life.
How do the Yankees and MLB support the ongoing work of research into ALS and what involvement have you had in those activities?
One of the encouraging things is that there has been a stronger light shone on this disease. It is an awful, awful disease. You become a prisoner in your own body. Unfortunately, we’ve come into contact with a lot of people that are dealing with it. Sarah Langs comes to mind – she’s such a great contributor to our sport and somebody I’ve had the great pleasure of working with when I was at ESPN. Then there was the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge a few years ago that raised awareness of the disease. That the disease is named after a giant of our sport is significant, too. We can then as a sport, as baseball, shine a light and help to raise a lot of money for research that can hopefully one day find a cure, or at the very least improve the lives of people going through it and give them better access to the resources they need. The sport has done a really good job of shining that light.
What would you like to see happen in ALS research and care programmes?
It’s tough for me to answer because I’m not the expert on that. But I hope that we can continue to be a beacon of hope and raise the money that will continue to move the needle in being better able to treat the disease, and hopefully one day finding a cure.
We must talk about the watch, the Lou Gehrig Limited Edition. It has a number of details that tell Lou’s story. What do you think of it and what does your partnership with Oris mean to you?
I’m really excited about it. Oris does such a good job and has become ingrained in the fabric of baseball. I’m proud of my partnership with them. Not only are they great at making beautiful watches, their social consciousness makes me proud to be affiliated with them.
LOU GEHRIG LIMITED EDITION
Based on the Big Crown Pointer Date, this special watch supports The Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation.
IN DETAIL
Case Multi-piece stainless steel case
Size 40.00 mm
Thickness 12.20 mm
Lug to lug 48.20 mm
Dial Silver
Luminous material Hands,
numerals and indices filled
with Super-LumiNova®
Top glass Sapphire, domed on
sides, anti-reflective coating inside
Case back Stainless steel, screwed,
special engravings
Operating devices Stainless
steel screw-in security crown
Straps Brown leather strap with
white double-stitching and
stainless steel buckle. Also supplied
with blue, white and grey NATO
fabric strap with stainless steel
buckle and strap change tool
Water resistance 5 bar
MOVEMENT
Number Oris Calibre 754
Functions Centre hands for hours,
minutes and seconds, date centre
hand, instantaneous date, date
corrector, fine timing device and
stop-second
Winding Automatic
Power reserve 41 hours
Limited edition 2,130 numbered
pieces, each watch is delivered in a
special presentation box and with
a specially stamped baseball card
Retail price $2,850 USD.
Availability June
