MLB's Lou Gehrig Day Raises Funds to Fight ALS

Baseball is turning a legendary player's legacy into real hope for families fighting ALS.

On June 2, all 30 Major League Baseball teams will observe Lou Gehrig Day, a league-wide celebration that honors the Hall of Famer while accelerating the search for an ALS cure. The date marks both the 1925 game when Gehrig became the Yankees' starting first baseman and the day he passed from ALS complications 16 years later.

Every player, manager, and coach across the league will wear custom "4" decals honoring Gehrig's retired number alongside red "4-ALS" wristbands. Special commemorative lineup cards and base jewels will appear in all ballparks, and broadcast booths will display illuminated "4" tributes.

The day carries special meaning thanks to grassroots advocacy that convinced MLB to make this an annual tradition starting in 2021. Now in its sixth year, the observance brings together players, fans, and families affected by ALS in a unified show of support.

MLB is running a special auction featuring autographed commemorative bats from each team, with proceeds benefiting The Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General. MLB.com researcher Sarah Langs, who is battling ALS herself, personally selected which player represents each team in the auction.

The Healey Center has already treated 818 individuals across 23 experimental therapies at 44 sites nationwide. Their expanded access programs are building a network of clinical partners, giving more people hope for treatments that didn't exist just years ago.

Individual teams are hosting local ceremonies too. The Arizona Diamondbacks will feature a ceremonial first pitch by Doug Clough, a 12-year ALS survivor, while other ballparks will share a special tribute video produced by MLB Network.

The Ripple Effect

Baseball's commitment to the ALS community extends far beyond one day. Since 2009, MLB has consistently supported ALS organizations through fundraising campaigns, awareness initiatives, and the viral Ice Bucket Challenge that sparked breakthrough discoveries in 2014.

The Ice Bucket Challenge alone generated millions of dollars that led to new findings advancing the search for cures. Each year, Lou Gehrig Day builds on that momentum, turning awareness into action and research funding into real progress for patients and families.

ALS affects people of all ages, genders, and races, and the number of cases continues to grow. While the disease paralyzes voluntary muscle control, patients' minds typically remain sharp, making the need for treatments even more urgent.

From Gehrig's iconic 1939 "Luckiest Man" speech to today's coordinated league-wide effort, baseball continues proving that sports can drive meaningful change beyond the field.