On the 4th of July, in ballparks across America, players will wear 4ALS on their
jerseys.  That's part of Major League Baseball's recognitionof the 70th anniversary of Lou
Gehrig's inspiring speech the day he left baseball.  He had been diagnosed with a fatal
disease in 1939 that later came to be known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
     In San Diego, one man has a story related to Lou Gehrig that includes a sad irony
and a very rare piece of baseball history.
     This is the transcript of a television story aired on Channel 4 San Diego by Jane
Mitchell.  Jane covers the Padres and tells the life stories of p.ayers for the award-
winning program "One on One with Jane Mitchell." She is also Board Chairman of the
Greater San Diego Chapter of the ALS Association in honor of her father who died of
ALS in 1994.  This story is nominated for an Emmy for Health/Science Reporting.
                                                       ***

                                       Robert Tierney Story 

     For all baseball fans across the country...

     As we celebrate the opening of the 2009 baseball
     season, please join us in reliving the wonderful,
     historic event of Lou Gehrig (The Iron Horse
     of baseball) giving his farewell-to-baseball
     address...and why his courageous words from
     seventy years ago, still resonate with us today.  

     Also, please mark your calendars for the
     Lou Gehrig/4 ALS Initiative set for July 4th at
     PETCO Park.  We all will gather in our normal
     right field reserve section on July 4th for our third
     annual "Lou Gehrig Night at PETCO Park.  We
     hope that you, your friends and family will join
     us.  You are able to purchase your Padre game
     tickets through our chapter website.  (For the
     complete article about Major League Baseball's
     initiative, click here or the picture above to be
     redirected.)

     Go Padres!

     Tom Courtney
     Executive Director

Lou Gehrig's Farewell to be Saluted on July 4 By Gary Wosk, Staff Writer  In a historic tribute during game day events across the nation, The ALS Association is joining with Major League Baseball® and Minor League Baseball™ on July 4 to commemorate Lou Gehrig’s brave battle with ALS. The Association has launched the “Covering All the Bases® Hitting Challenge” during Major League Baseball’s “4ALS Awareness” charitable initiative that commemorates the 70th anniversary of Gehrig’s famous “Luckiest Man” farewell speech.   In the “Covering All the Bases” program, baseball fans and supporters of the fight against ALS can make a pledge for each hit made by their favorite Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball team on July 4th. After July 4th, supporters will still have an opportunity to participate and make a general contribution throughout the month of July.   Read full story

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