The Yankees’ other Babe

Today marks 27 years since the passing of Babe Dahlgren at the age of 84.

Dahlgren – seen here with the Red Sox in 1935 by Boston photographer Leslie Jones – spends all or parts of 12 seasons in the major leagues with eight teams from 1935-46.

He averages 12 homers and 81 runs batted in for every 162 games he plays. Nice production. Even represents the National League at the 1943 All-Star Game at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park, the first nighttime All-Star Game.

Dahlgren’s career, though, is best remembered for a singular moment – and that moment comes on May 2, 1939, when he replaces Lou Gehrig at first base after Gehrig benches himself before the start of the New York Yankees’ game at Detroit.

Gehrig’s decision ends his record streak of consecutive games played at 2,130.

The 26-year-old Dahlgren does just fine in his first game at Gehrig’s replacement, going 2-for-5 with a double and homer in the Yankees’ 22-2 rout of the Tigers before a Tuesday afternoon crowd of 11,379 at Briggs Stadium.