Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's disease," Do you know why the disease is named after him and how it affected the career of one of the best MLB players? Let's have a look at the whole story.
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ALS is a progressive disease that destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord which control the muscles throughout the body. When these nerve cells (also called motor neurons) die, the brain can no longer send impulses (messages) to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. The disease most commonly afflicts people between the ages of 40 and 70. As many as 30,000 Americans have the disease at any given time.
Lou Gehrig’s disease also goes by the official name of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as the ALS Association explains. Gehrig was by far the most famous person of his time to develop the disease, so it was renamed after his death in 1941. Lou Gehrig’s disease damages the motor neurons in an individual’s brain and spinal cord.
Gehrig’s first signs of ALS
How did the disease affect his Yankees career
Of course, even the early symptoms of the disease couldn’t keep Gehrig from finishing the season with a strong performance. He lost his usual power and even struggled to run the bases at times. Gehrig played just eight games that season before benching himself and ending his consecutive game streak. Finally, he declared his retirement with no choices left.
Gehrig’s diagnosis and death
Later that year, Gehrig was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in a special election. His condition grew worse and ultimately resulted in Gehrig’s death on June 2, 1941. He was just 37 years old at the time. From the time its first symptoms appeared, Gehrig lived with ALS for roughly three years.