Yankees, MLB hold first-ever Lou Gehrig Day

Yankees fans (and all baseball fans): June 2 is now a day to remember.  It’s #LouGehrigDay. 

Lou Gehrig Day will be held annually on June 2 following this year, its inaugural year.  According to ABC News, “Every Major League Baseball Team will become a living testament to Lou Gehrig and use his memory to raise awareness for the disease that took his life.” 

June 2 marks two milestones in Gehrig’s life: one happy and one much sadder.  In 1925, he made his debut on June 2 as the Yankees’ regular first baseman, and died of ALS 16 years later to the date. 

Gehrig gave his famous “Luckiest Man” speech on July 4, 1939, after being forced into retirement due to the progression of his ALS.  View the speech, which has become known as “Baseball’s Gettysburg Address,” here:

 

ABC News goes on to announce that all MLB stadiums will play a video honoring Gehrig during the fourth inning of every game in play today.  The video will be narrated by Cal Ripken Jr., who broke Gehrig’s record of playing consecutive games (Gehrig played 2,130 games in a row and Ripken Jr. played 2,131).  ALS advocate Steve Gleason will recite the “Luckiest Man” speech in the video, with the help of Google’s Project Euphonia. 

The Yankees will also take the commemorations a step further and honor Pat Quinn and Pete Frates -- the co-creators of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge -- at tonight’s game. 

Article by: Mary Grace Donaldson
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