Lou Gehrig’s wife is Eleanor Gehrig and they were married in September 29, 1933. Lou Gehrig died at the age 37 in 1941 and Eleanor Gehrig never married after Lou Gehrig’s death. She spent her remaining life promoting Lou’s legacy.
Eleanor Gehrig was recognized as the wife of Lou Gehrig, the greatest baseball player of all time. She has also a successful career in the entertainment world but her connection to Lou has made many fans curious about her.
In this article, we will get to know about Lou Gehrig’s wife, Eleanor Gehrig, her complete biography, and many unknown facts that you wanted to know.
Table of Contents
Quick Bio
| Name | Eleanor Gehrig (née Twitchell) |
| Date of Birth | March 6, 1904 |
| Date Of Death | 6th March 1984 |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Profession | Philanthropist, socialite, memoirist |
| Famous For | Being the wife of Lou Gehrig |
| Husband | Lou Gehrig |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Gender | Female |
| Age | 80(at the time of her death) |
| Sexual Orientation | Not specified |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed |
Early Life & Education
Eleanor Gehrig, whose actual name was Eleanor Twitchell, was born on 6 March 1904, in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were Frank Twitchell and Nellie Mulvaney and she had a brother named Frank.
Eleanor lived the life of a party girl and even called herself the “Product of the Roaring Twenties” in her book. She joined the University of Wisconsin, but some reports wrongly said that she didn’t.
She also took some classes at Gregg Business School. However, not much information is publicly available about her early life.
Career & Professional Life
Eleanor Gehrig has made her name as a writer and consultant in the entertainment world. She worked on the film about her husband “The Pride of the Yankees” in 1942 and it earned $30,000.
She wrote her autobiography, “My Luke and I” in 1976, about her life with Lou and her time as a widow. Teresa Wright played Eleanor’s role in the 1942 movie and Blythe Danner in the 1978 TV movie.
She was also seen in a 1943 Lux Radio Theatre show and a 1949 Screen Directors Playhouse show. She also wrote for “A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story(1978)” and “The Ed Sullivan Show(1948).”
How Eleanor Met Lou Gehrig?
Eleanor Gehrig first met her future husband Lou Gehrig at a party in Chicago and Lou was in town for a game. She was a lively socialite and philanthropist and was active in Chicago’s social scene during the Roaring Twenties.
Her lively personality always inspired others. However, not many details are available about their first interaction publicly.
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Who Was Lou Gehrig?
Lou Gehrig is known as an American baseball player who played first base for the New York Yankees for 17 seasons, from 1923 to 1939. He was recognized as one of the great baseball players because of his great hitting skills.
Gehrig was nicknamed “the Iron Horse” because he made a record of playing 2,130 consecutive games. This record lasted 56 years and Cal Ripken Jr. broke it in 1995.
He was awarded by triple crown because of his best batting average(.363), the most home runs (49), and the most runs batted in (RBIs; 165) in the league. He also helped the Yankees win six World Series championships.
He earned the Most Valuable Award twice and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. The Yankees retired his uniform number (4) to honor him.
When Did They Decide To Get Married?
Lou Gehrig married Eleanor Twitchell on September 29, 1933, when Lou was a famous baseball player for the New York Yankees.
Their marriage got a lot of attention from media and fans and many news channels shared beautiful pictures of Eleanor. Lou was very happy with his marriage and according to some people, his 1934 season was amazing due to his marriage.
What Challenges Lou & Eleanor Faced After Marriage?
Lou and Eleanor were enjoying their married life and Lou even melted his awards to make a bracelet for Eleanor. However, Lou’s mother, Christina, didn’t like Eleanor and thought she might take Lou away from her.
That’s why, they lived with Lou’s family in New Rochelle for some time and looked for their own place. It was a tough time for both of them and Eleanor almost called off the wedding but somehow they managed to work through difficulties.
Eleanor traveled with Lou during his career and took care of him when he was sick with ALS in 1939. Lou died at the age of 37 in 1941. Eleanor never remarried after Lou’s death and spent her life promoting Lou’s legacy.
Lou & Eleanor’s Children
Lou and Eleanor didn’t have any children and there is no information available that they ever became parents.
Eleanor Gehrig Passed Away At Age Of 80
After the death of her husband, Lou, she spent her life promoting Lou’s legacy and never married anyone. At the age of 80, she peacefully passed away on her birthday, 6th March 1984.
Eleanor Gehrig’s Net Worth
Eleanor never shared about her net worth publically but she seemed financially okay. She once donated $100,000 each to the Rip Van Winkle Foundation and Columbia University.
During World War II, she raised $6 million by selling some of Lou’s memorabilia to help with war efforts. Despite being involved in many financial activities, it is not known that she left a lot of money when she died in 1984.
On the other hand, her husband, Lou Gehrid estimated net worth at the time of his death was $159,475, which is about $2.45 million in today’s money.
