Published on June 1, 2026 11:19 am
Last Updated on June 1, 2026 12:10 pm
Tuesday will be Lou Gehrig’s Day in Major League Baseball, and a local man and his family will be helping observe the special day.
June 2nd marks the date of Gehrig’s death in 1941 at age 37. Gehrig died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. The disease became known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. Gehrig, one of the best ever to play the game and a physical specimen in his playing days, died less than two years after his diagnosis.
Major League Baseball is working to draw attention to ALS. Each game played on Tuesday will observe the date.
At Wrigley Field in Chicago, a host of activities are planned as the Cubs take on the Athletics. One of the participants will be Phil Flach of Effingham, who has been diagnosed with ALS. Phil is being hosted by Cubs TV broadcaster John “Boog” Sciambi, who had a friend die from the disease, and Phil will be throwing out a first pitch at tomorrow night’s game. Phil joked that the pitch “will be a floater!”
While Phil is battling ALS, his wife Karen is working to create awareness of the disease. She is reaching out to those in the community who have been touched by ALS, and will be working to heighten awareness of resources, as well as efforts such as Leon’s Legacy, that raises funds for caregivers of those dealing with ALS.
Karen said, “I have made it my mission.”
An aside that Phil and Karen Flach’s son, Andrew, worked with us at Premier Broadcasting in the early days of the radio stations.
