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This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history.

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Luke Gehrig was one of the great stars of baseball, but during his career he played in a lineup with another great, Babe Ruth.

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So as it would happen, Gehrig played in the shadow of the great Babe.

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Even when Luke had a great day, and he did on June 3rd, 1932, another story would overshadow his feats.

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But let's not get too far ahead of our story.

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The New York Yankees faced the old Philadelphia Azlakes at Philadelphia,

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and it was one of those days when the pitchers should have stayed in bed.

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It just wasn't a day for pitchers.

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Gehrig started to slugfest with a home run with one teammate aboard in the first inning.

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But ace catcher Mickey Cochran, another all-time great star, even the score at 2-2 with a homer and a bottom of the first.

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Gehrig was back at the plate in the third inning with one teammate on base.

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Lou picked out another fat one and headed into the stands, another homer, and the Yankees had a 4-2 lead.

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But it didn't last long.

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The home side bounced back, and not the Yankees started out of the box with six big runs in the fourth inning to take an 8-4 lead.

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The Yankee power sent the ace pitcher to the showers as Earl Coombs and Babe Ruth smacked homers in the fifth.

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That brought Gehrig to the plate for the third time.

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Fans wondered when the bombing would stop, but it didn't stop with Gehrig. He picked out the first pitch and set it deep into the stands.

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Three homers for the popular first baseman. Runs across the plate for both sides in the sixth inning.

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The scoreboard shows the ace ahead 10-9, as Yankee fans took their seventh inning stretch.

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Gehrig was one of the Yankee batters in the seventh, and a lot of fans shot her for Lou to smack another homer. He did.

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Now it was all even at 10-10. He had equaled a Major League record for one game with his seventh inning blast.

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But would he get another chance to bat and set a Major League mark of five homers in one game?

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The Yankee started two runs to take a 12-10 lead in the eighth inning.

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There was a possibility that Gehrig would get another crack at the ball. The Yankees exploded their power in the ninth.

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Tony Nazzieri had a Grand Slam homer, and it was now 18-10, but the inning wasn't over.

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Gehrig had another chance at bat. In 60 seconds, we were back to find out how he fared.

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Lou waited for the first pitch, and swung. It was a long blast, but would it be long enough?

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Philadelphia outfielder Al Simmons was off with a crack at the bat.

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At the last second he jumped and grabbed the ball in front of the wall.

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A great catch had Rob Lou of a record-setting homer, but still, it was quite an effort.

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The Yankees won the game, and Gehrig had hit four home runs.

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But there is an ironic test to our story. Instead of Gehrig's four home runs making big sport headlines, it was just another story.

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Why? Well, a man by the name of John McGraw made even bigger headlines.

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You see, this was a day that McGraw announced his resignation as manager of the New York Giants after 30 years.

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Yes, Lou Gehrig's great feats were always overshadowed, but baseball fans will never forget him.

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He was not only a great ball player, but a great American.