Major League Baseball announced that in coordination with all 30 clubs, the league will commemorate the fourth annual Lou Gehrig Day on June 2 to help raise awareness and funds for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Player, manager and coach uniforms will all have a No. 4 decal designed in New York Yankees colors and font for Sunday’s games. Additionally, red “4-ALS” wristbands will be available to be worn in-game, plus commemorative base jewels and lineup cards.
But MLB is doing so much more beyond just those two on-field tributes, as they have planned an entire day of content and fundraising opportunities to remember Gehrig and honor him by helping fight the disease that affects approximately 500,000 people worldwide.
An illuminated “4” will be on display at all broadcast booths commemorating those in the fight against ALS and to serve as a unifying beacon of hope. A pregame ceremony featuring a commemorative video and graphics and localized club-specific activations will be taking place in ballparks nationwide.
MLB Network will honor Gehrig’s legacy and raise awareness for ALS through its studio programming and a special Lou Gehrig Day tribute video, which is narrated by one of the most beloved personalities in the sport today, Sarah Langs. That video will pay tribute to everyone in the baseball world that was lost due to ALS this year and will be shown in stadiums throughout the league.
MLB.com and MLB social media platforms will have tribute videos to Gehrig and the ALS community throughout the day on June 2.
Beginning on June 2, MLB will run a special charitable auction to benefit The Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS.
The auction will feature one-of-a-kind MLB authenticated autographed Lou Gehrig Day TOPPS NOW cards (one for each MLB Club) with each player selected by Langs, who will spend that day being honored by the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Each player selected by Sarah has a connection to Lou through their passion for the game, unique statistical connection or support for the ALS community.
Rob Manfred not concerned about MLB pitcher injuries
One of the major topics dominating the conversation around baseball at the start of the 2024 season was injuries to pitchers. Several big name pitchers either began the MLB season hurt or made it only a few starts before suffering long-term injuries. And the questions have gone all the way to commissioner Rob Manfred as people aim to find a solution.
Manfred, MLB’s commissioner since 2015, has been widely panned for his response to various critical issues and his handling of some of the game’s biggest moments over the last 10 seasons. But one issue he has not frequently discussed is the rise in pitcher injuries and what can be done to curb it.
He spoke about the subject recently, giving some data-backed answers while downplaying the severity of the issue and whether or not anything needs to be done about it.
