Beginning this season, June 2 will be Lou Gehrig Day across Major League Baseball.
June 2 was an important date in Gehrig’s legacy. It was the date in 1925 that his then-record-setting streak of 2,130 consecutive games played began, and it was the date he died of ALS in 1941.
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. For many years, it was referred to colloquially as Lou Gehrig’s Disease as he was the first well-known person in the United States to suffer from it.
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According to ESPN, this came to be thanks in large part to three organizers: Bryan Wayne Galentine, Adam Wilson and Chuck Haberstroh. Galentine was diagnosed with ALS in 2017, as was Haberstroh’s mother. Wilson was diagnosed in 2015.
“They deserve all the credit,” Twins president Dave St. Peter told ESPN.
Gehrig’s legacy will be honored every year on June 2, similarly to Jackie Robinson Day on April 15 and Roberto Clemente Day. Players and coaches will wear a jersey patch celebrating Gehrig, while 4-ALS logos (representing his jersey number) will be displayed around stadiums.