OAKLAND, Calif. – The inaugural Lou Gehrig Day will be celebrated throughout Major League Baseball on Wednesday, June 2, as announced by the League today. The dedicated date will forever commemorate the legacy of the Hall of Famer who has inspired the ongoing movement to end Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The focus of Lou Gehrig Day will be on three pillars: remembering the legacy of Gehrig and all those lost to the disease that bears his name; raising awareness and funds for research of ALS; and celebrating the groups and individuals who have led the pursuit for cures.

“Lou Gehrig Day will not only honor Lou’s accomplishments on the field, but will also help millions understand this devastating disease that has claimed far too many of us, including my mother,” said Oakland A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty. “Before she passed, she did everything she could to raise awareness of ALS and I know she’d be thrilled that Major League Baseball will now shine a spotlight on Lou Gehrig and ALS every season. Hopefully this awareness will help lead to a cure.”

Gretchen Piscotty, mother of Stephen Piscotty, passed away on May 6, 2018, following a yearlong battle with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Stephen and his father, Mike, started the ALS CURE Project in Gretchen’s honor. ALS CURE Project works to raise funds and execute research to find a cure for ALS.

“We are proud that Major League Baseball will honor the legacy of Lou Gehrig and continue to shine a light on ALS,” said Oakland A’s President Dave Kaval. “The entire Major League Baseball family has felt the effects of ALS, and we are committed to continuing to raise awareness in honor of Gretchen Piscotty, Catfish Hunter, Corey Reich, Lou Gehrig, and all of the members of our baseball family who have been impacted by this disease.”

The Oakland A’s host an annual ALS Awareness Night at the Oakland Coliseum to raise awareness and vital funds for ALS research. Because the A’s will be on the road for the inaugural Lou Gehrig Day on June 2, the team will find an alternate date to recognize and celebrate the day at the Coliseum.

To learn more about the Piscotty family’s ALS CURE Project, visit alscure.net.

COURTESY OF MLB & OAKLAND A’S MEDIA RELATIONS