MLB finally to honor Lou Gehrig.

[Deleted User]

It would be nice is they launched ALS Awareness month with this instead of June 2, make it May 2!

[Jim]

Lou Gehrig Day Singer!

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nj-musician-living-with-als-set-to-sing-at-yankee-stadium-for-lou-gehrigs-day/3077339/?_osource=db_npd_nbc_wnbc_eml_shr

[Richard]

Hi Jim,

 

I’m somewhat disappointed in having Jerry Tolve sing the national anthem at Yankee Stadium.  I watched the TV News link and Jerry himself admitted that to look and to listen to him you’d think he is doing well.  It’s sending the wrong message in my book.  You need to show the devastation of the disease and Jerry Tolve does not do that; he sends the opposite message.  People are going to walk away thinking the disease is livable.  Instead, I would have had a famous singing star (maybe even more than one singer), that has a huge online following, singing the song being surrounded by ALS patients in wheelchairs and breathing masks.  People need to see images that stick in their minds. Hopefully other baseball stadiums will do something more disturbing with the hope of getting a reaction out of the audience.

 

Richard

 

[Richard]

Google “I’m the luckiest man in the world speech” and Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech links are returned.

 

Died young, was at the top of his game when ALS symptoms first appeared. That’s lucky?  To me, that’s pretty unlucky!

 

Unfortunately, ALS is linked to the luckiest man.  Is that the best message we like to see about ALS awareness?

 

Richard

 

 

[Jim]

Will Lou Gehrig Day inspire people to donate and garner awarness, surely hope so! Will hearing that he was the Luckiest man alive spark understanding, empathy or compassion, hope so. Will seeing pictures of a man who lived decades ago still bring out emotion in people enough to make a change for ALS. I certainly hope so!

 

Do think people should see the true unfortunate reality of ALS, people loosing their arms and legs, people loosing the ability to eat, swollen, drooling, unable to talk with their own voice saying I love you, people knowing they have no future, many painfully waiting for that inevitable last breath when life leaves their body! For most, ALS is all about loss and then loosing life. The public needs to see that too!

 

It’s not about being positive or negative, the glass is half full or half empty. It’s about seeing the reality, the truth. ALS takes away all you were and all you’ll ever be. People need to see that also!

 

What’s the message we want to send to the world about ALS. Do you truly believe organizations are sending the right message and is it enough? Do people still identify with Lou Gehrig? Is the Government funding enough? Is there enough media and internet coverage of ALS? You can decide for yourself! In mean time I’ll accept that life is not always fair, care about others around me and try to spread hope that there will be a day others won’t have to suffer like so many of us do.

[Russell]

1. Gehrig was an true Ironman.  His physical built alone was impressive. Gehrig last full season was 1938 while experiencing the symptoms of ALS he played in 157 games , 576 at bats , 115 runs, 170 hits and 114 RBIs . That was incredible!! He passed in 1941. Hes  an icon of strength. Its just sad 80 years gone by and no real change in this disease. Lets hope Baseball  can start something rolling in this country..From what I’m hearing there will be money raised all MLB teams will have ALS patches on their uniforms and hopefully get all the sports venues involved..

[Richard]

Here’s idea…  Since baseball has about 500 million fans world wide and soccer has over 3 billion fans world wide, how about selecting a soccer star with ALS and have a day for him?

 

Why just baseball? Or just soccer?  All sports should have an ALS day.

 

Richard

 

[Amanda]

Richard,

Have you sent letters to other sports organizations with your suggestions?  That might be a game changer!

[Richard]

Hi Amanda,

 

I have not sent other sports organizations the suggestion about having an ALS Awareness Day. I just thought of it yesterday.

 

Some research would first need to be done, some of which would include:

 

Each sport’s:

1. Point person/organization to email
2. email addresses
3. Sports figure(s) to highlight

 

The proposal coming from me may not have a very big impact.  However, the proposal coming from ALSNewsToday or the ALS Association would carry a lot more weight.  Who initiated MLB Lou Gehrig Day?

 

I did email the ALS Association with the suggestion today.  I have not heard back from them.

 

The only way to fail is not to try and an idea without execution is just a dream.  So let’s try, stop dreaming and make this happen.  Any suggestions?

 

Richard

 

[Dagmar]

Richard – – Sending to ALS organizations is a good suggestion. But remember, ALS New Today is not an ALS “organization” they are a “business.” An online news service – – no brick & mortar site – but lots of free-lance writers located in countries around the world. So, saying that ALS News Today should initiate a coalition is going down the wrong street. They will report and help spread the news about ALS initiatives but, cannot start one.

Your goal of writing to all the organizations is going well. Keep at it!

[Richard]

Is June 2nd the best day to highlight ALS awareness?

 

I would pick a summer day (kids out of school) and a weekend day.  I would believe you’d get a bigger TV audience.

 

Richard

 

Note:

June 2 is the day in 1925 that Gehrig began his record-breaking consecutive games streak.

 

 

 

[Russell]

Richard,  June 2nd is the day Lou Gehrig passed away . I understand soccer has much more fans but they have to start somewhere.  So let it be Baseball. Hope the awareness hits home. We shall see.

[Richard]

Hi Russell,

 

May I modify your second to last sentence to the following “Hope the awareness hits a grand slam home run.”

 

Richard

 

[Kathy stitz]

How did Lou Gehrig day go yesterday?  I hope they raised a lot of awareness and funds for ALS!

[Richard]

I was wondering the same thing.  Hoping ALSNewsToday will publish the results when they become available.

 

Richard

 

[Jim Conner]

Perfect title to this thread. FINALLY. We need publicity, as I have said in prior posts. I know damm few people that knew about Lou Gehrig Day or what it is about. Being from Chicago area I checked the 2 big papers online stories, NOTHING. I have sent them emails stating my dismay. I saw photos on MLB website of a few places that had ALS ceremonies, including Cubs Park , yet no mention in the papers. There is a nice article on a fund raiser for Steve McMichael the former Bear, that teammates are putting on. The Bears supplied him with a state of the art wheelchair too.

So will this day really work? I don’t know. I do now that other places, U of Michigan  and the Calgary Flames for example, are involved locally because a former hockey player and an executive got ALS. Like was stated in another thread, local work is going on, however a national push is needed.  Sports is a big way to get the word out, but the effort has to be there.

I do thank them for what they have done, don’t misunderstand me, however sports leagues have pushed other issues a lot harder and been successful in generating interest and fundraising.

Good discussion as usual.

[Bob Ives]

<p style=”text-align: center;”>Yesterday I watched the Cubs game to get an idea of how the MLB commitment would play out … and I was more then pleased with the result.  All players had ALS on their uniforms, many spectators had ALS shirts, etc. and the announcers spoke about ALS and Gehrig constantly.  I have no idea how successful Lou Gehrig Day may have been financially, but it sure enhanced ALS awareness.  The first step is always to create awareness, as was done in the Ice Bucket Challenge.  So, in my assessment, MLB gave Lou Gehrig Day a terrific start and now the ALS community needs to continue working with them to make it even more successful.  The responsibility to initiate this rests with ALSA and the other ALS support organizations … then we who are afflicted can jump on the initiative.  My takeaway is:  “Great start … now let’s move forward”!</p>

[Jim Conner]

To see some Lou Gehrig Day videos got to Marquee Sports website. It is the group that telecasts Chicago Cubs games. They have a number of videos and interviews with people that have ALS or are helping people with ALS. One announcer partnered with a childhood friend that has ALS to start Project Main St. to help folks pay for needed expenses. Another is a player whose father has ALS. Also interview with ALS victims and families.

Thru those videos I found another site called “I am ALS” that is raising funds etc.