Gehrig to Jeter in a Few, Easy Steps

Derek Jeter is 21 hits away from Lou Gehrig. At that point, Derek Jeter will unbelievably have the most hits in Yankees’ history. At Jeter’s current hit pace (he’s 12 of his last 25), he should get it sometime next week. A more realistic measure should have him reaching the milestone in September.

Gerhig was named Yankees’ team captain in 1935. Jeter was named Yankees’ team captain in 2003. They both played their entire careers (so far at least) with the Yankees. But did you know you can connect those two players in 5 easy steps (using Baseball-Reference’s Oracle of course)?

-Lou Gehrig played with Red Ruffing on the 1936 Yankees

-Ruffing played with Dave Philley on the 1947 White Sox

-Philley played with Carl Yastrzemski on the 1962 Red Sox

-Yaz played with Wade Boggs on the 1983 Red Sox

-And Boggs played with Derek Jeter on the 1996 Yankees

Want an all New York connection?

-Gehrig played with Leo Durocher on the 1925 Yankees

-Durocher played with Gil Hodges on the 1943 Brooklyn Dodgers

-Hodges played with Ed Kranepool on the 1963 Mets

-Kranepool played with Jesse Orosco on the 1979 Mets

-Orosco played with Jeter on the 2003 Yankees

How about an ALL Yankees chain?

-Gehrig played with Joe DiMaggio on the 1939 Yankees

-DiMaggio played with Whitey Ford on the 1950 Yankees

-Ford played with Bobby Murcer on the 1966 Yankees

-Murcer played with Don Mattingly on the 1982 Yankees

-Mattingly played with Jeter on the 1995 Yankees

So how about that? Lou Gehrig (“The Iron Horse”) can be connected with Derek Jeter (“Captain Clutch”) through Joe DiMaggio (“The Yankee Clipper”), Whitey Ford (“The Chairman of the Board”), Bobby Murcer (“Lemon”), and Don Mattingly (“Donnie Baseball”).

As Mel Allen would say: “How about that?”