Spirit of Lou Gehrig: Magical day all-around for New York Yankees as they honor legendary slugger

June 2, 2022 marked the second annual celebration of New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig, who passed away on the same day in 1941. On July 4, 1939, "The Iron Horse" struggled to hold a trophy issued to him near home plate while surrounded by legendary teammates and coaches of Yankees' past. The aggressive degenerative muscle condition had already taken such a toll that he had to immediately lower it to the ground prior to addressing a packed house at Yankee Stadium. But the speech that followed carried with it the strength and power to resound throughout every generation of human existence. Today at Yankee Stadium, here is what made June 2, 2022, such a special day for the New York Yankees and all of baseball.

Raising ALS awareness throughout the world

Steve Gleason, a sufferer of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), holds his daughter Gray

Love them or hate them, the New York Yankees organization often conducts themselves with the utmost class. They lead by example as an organization when it comes to raising community awareness. Ever since the Yankees organization helped institute the annual Lou Gehrig Day in the schedule in 2021, the community outreach between fans, players, and coaches has never been more bonded throughout all of baseball. It has created a ripple effect of coordinated tributes scheduled all throughout the MLB schedule on this special day. Fields throughout the majors were occupied by individuals and families impacted by the disease in an emotional scene of ALS awareness.

"We are honored to welcome representatives from several organizations who have played a major role in raising awareness and funds to fight ALS."-@RedSox

These families presented their harrowing stories before the entire world on Thursday night in a most touching symbol of unity and magnification of ALS awareness throughout the US and Canada. All across 30 MLB ballparks, millions of attendees, in addition to the tens of millions of viewers across the world, witnessed a sight to treasure.

While celebrating the life and testimony of one of baseball's greatest and most upstanding players, it elevated ALS awareness on an even higher platform.

"Maria, the daughter of Gary Cooper who famously portrayed Lou Gehrig in 'Pride of the Yankees,' has maintained a lifelong commitment to ALS research and awareness" -@Yankees

On Thursday night, these families were recognized for the heroes they are. Despite their condition, the world beheld some of the strongest individuals this world has to offer this June 2, 2022.

Honoring the life of a New York Yankees legend

Miami Marlins v Toronto Blue Jays

Honoring everyone who has been afflicted by Lou Gehrig's disease puts more context in the struggle that Lou Gehrig faced. At the time, with a disease doctors had never seen before, the state of the Iron Horse's physical stature was understood by very few, if any. That's what makes his "Luckiest Man" speech all the more harrowing and life-changing. For a man whose body was quickly deteriorating from an agressive disease, who had just been given a death sentence by physicians, he declared himself "the luckiest man on the face of the earth."

"81 years ago today, Lou Gehrig gave his famous "luckiest man alive speech."-@BaseballQuotes1

His message to all of baseball and families impacted by ALS taught us and continues to teach us to see the overlooked joys in life, regardless of our circumstances. He reminds us all to live in and see the good of the present moment that neither life or death can ever take from you.

A New York Yankees win

Aaron Judge #99 and Joey Gallo #13 of the New York Yankees celebrate the win over the Los Angeles Angels

Least important of all these factors was a cherry-on-top Yankees victory in an atmosphere that very much harbored the spirit of Lou Gehrig. The Yankees bombed themselves to a Gehrig-like 6-1 win in the first game of a double-header. In the second low-scoring affair, the New York Yankees overcame a one-run deficit in the eighth to beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1, handing the Angels a season-high eighth consecutive loss of the season. It only seemed fitting that, somehow, the pinstripes would pull out a victory on one of the most hallowed annual celebratory awarenesses in professional sports. The spirit of Lou Gehrig lives on, not just in a mere come-from-behind win in typical New York Yankees-fashion, but more importantly in the hearts and lives of fans and ALS victims throughout humanity.