Red Sox To Recognize Pete Frates' Family As Part Of MLB's Lou Gehrig Day
BOSTON (CBS) -- Major League Baseball has announced plans for its inaugural "Lou Gehrig Day," which will take place on Wednesday, June 2. With the Red Sox on the road for the special day, the team will recognize Lou Gehrig Day with a special ALS Day at Fenway Park on Tuesday, June 8.
On that day, the Red Sox will recognize the family of Pete Frates, the former Boston College baseball captain who passed away from ALS in 2019 at the age of 34. Frates was one of the driving forces behind the viral "Ice Bucket Challenge," which helped raised millions of dollars for ALS research around the world.
In addition to honoring the Frates family, the Red Sox will also recognize Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, the leader of the Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS. It will all take place in a pre-game ceremony before Boston's home game against the Houston Astros.
In addition, beginning June 2, the Red Sox will launch an ALS fundraiser with the sale of special edition "Strike Out ALS Pete Frates No. 3" hats. The proceeds will be donated to Pete's Place, which is located at the Chelsea Jewish Lifecare Center's Leonard Florence Residence. The center is currently home to 40 patients, featuring cutting edge technology and a high level of specialized care to help those battling ALS and other diseases to live as independently as possible.
On MLB's inaugural #LouGehrigDay we have released a special edition hat honoring the legacy of ALS hero, Pete Frates, and supporting Pete's Place.
— Red Sox (@RedSox) June 2, 2021
Learn more & donate: https://t.co/9hSoQd32ba pic.twitter.com/ihNAMtktm2
Pete's mother, Nancy, is also the narrator for an MLB Network special "Heart of a Hero" feature on Lou Gehrig's iconic career.