MLB Announces June 2nd As "Lou Gehrig Day" To Honor Yankees Legend

Major League Baseball is set to honor one of the greatest players in the history of the game starting in 2021, as Thursday the league announced it will hold an annual "Lou Gehrig Day" each year on June 2nd.

Major League Baseball will use the yearly event to raise money to battle ALS and to educate fans about the disease while recognizing major advocacy groups such as the LG4Day committee.

Each June 2, teams around the league will wear a jersey patch honoring Gehrig that reads “4-ALS,” which will pay tribute to the No. 4 that Gehrig wore for the New York Yankees for 17 seasons, 1923-1939.

June 2nd was a big day for Gehrig, as June 2, 1925 was the first day of his then-MLB record 2,130 consecutive games played. He also died on June 2, 1941.

Gehrig remains one of the most feared hitters in the history of Major League Baseball. He still ranks 16th overall with a .340 batting average, third with a 1.079 OPS, and seventh with 1,995 RBIs to go with 493 career home runs.

Gehrig won six World Series titles with the Yankees, made seven All-Star Game appearances, was named the American League MVP twice and won the 1934 Triple Crown, leading the league with a .363 batting average with 49 home runs and 166 RBI.

The Yankees will be at home on June 2nd, playing the defending American League champion Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium with a 7:05pm first pitch.