If you were watching the Dodgers play the Yankees on Sunday, June 1, you may have noticed that players’ uniforms bore the number four.
Well, expect to continue seeing that number on the uniforms of players, managers, coaches and umpires across the league on Monday, June 2, which is the fifth annual Lou Gehrig Day, according to the MLB.
It’s one of several ways the league will pay tribute to the beloved baseball player and raise awareness for the disease commonly associated with him, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS.
June 1 marked the “100-year anniversary of the beginning of Lou Gehrig’s 2,130 consecutive games played streak,” said the MLB.
Who is Lou Gehrig?
Wearing the number honors Gehrig, who wore No. 4.
“The Iron Horse” was signed to the New York Yankees in 1923, and the first baseman was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, according to the hall of fame.
Considered one of the greats of the sport, Gehrig retired from baseball in 1939 following his diagnosis with ALS, the progressive neurodegenerative disease that is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, according to the ALS Association.
What is Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS?
ALS causes “progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain” and is one of the “most devastating” disorders that affect nerve and muscle function, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. There is no cure for ALS, and as the disease progresses, people with ALS can suffer from breathing problems, difficulty with speech and eating as muscles associated with these abilities weaken, said the Mayo Clinic.
What is Lou Gehrig’s Day?
The day began in 2021 as a “league-wide day” on the baseball calendar, said the MLB.
“MLB’s efforts will raise awareness and funds for ALS research and highlight the work of the groups and individuals who are pursuing cures,” according to the MLB. “The league also will remember the legacy of Gehrig and people who have been lost to the disease which bears his name.”
How long did Lou Gehrig live with ALS?
Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS in 1939 and died on June 2, 1941, according to the ALS Association. He was 37.
Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Why are MLB players wearing 4? Great Yankees player Lou Gehrig is honored amid ALS awareness
Reporting by Paris Barraza, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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