“So I close in saying that I may have had a bad break,
but I have an awful lot to live for.” -Lou Gehrig

On July 4, 1939 Lou Gehrig said goodbye to the game of
baseball.  Gehrig was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(ALS).  He was one of the first famous people known to have the
degenerative disease.  Now, it is believed, according
to the ALS Association, Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter, that as many as 30,000 Americans currently have ALS.

On Saturday, April 2nd, the Triangle Walk to Defeat ALS took place at Credit Suisse campus in Research Triangle Park.  Over 2,000
participants showed up to walk in support of finding a cure and raising
awareness for ALS. 

USA Baseball was happy to be there to support such a great organization with a
wonderful mission.  USA Baseball and the
ALS Association, Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter have been working together ever
since USA Baseball relocated to North Carolina. 
Not only were we there to support the cause but to promote other ALS
Awareness events coming up this summer. 
On June 27^th, there will be an ALS Benefit Clinic at the
National Training Complex and on July 4^th, it will be ALS Awareness
Night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park when the USA Baseball College National
Team plays Japan. 

Regardless of whether you were a walk
participant, a volunteer or just a supporter of the cause-there were a lot of
emotions in the air that day…  

One thing that really stuck out to me from the walk was a lady named Kerry,
that came up to our tent right as we were packing up to leave.  I happened
to be wearing a USA Baseball fleece that she recognized.  Turns out, their
family has attended our ALS Benefit Clinic in the past.  As we began talking, I realize that even
though I had never met Kerry before I knew exactly who she was. 

This past holiday season, we received an
e-mail from a friend of Kerry’s.  The friend told us of Kerry’s family,
her husband, Phil, who was fighting ALS and their two boys that love
baseball.  Knowing that the holidays could to be a difficult time for
Kerry’s family we worked with Kerry’s friend to get the boys some Christmas
presents, USAB fleeces and baseball cards.  We wrapped them up and sent
them along to Kerry’s family.

When Kerry saw us at the ALs walk, she
wanted to come up and thank us for what we did.  A small effort for us, it made a big impact on Kerry’s
family.  Unfortunately, Kerry’s husband
Phil passed away late in 2010 and the holidays were a difficult time for their
family.  The generosity of USA Baseball
was greatly appreciated in their time of need.

Sometimes it’s the little things in life
that make the biggest difference…