Lou Gehrig: Disease Named After Him May Not Have Been the Cause of His Death

New Research Questions ALS as Cause of Death

A group of neurologists, physicians, and pathologists have put forth a new theory: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the disease that Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with and which is now known as Lou Gehrig's disease, may not have been the cause of his death.

New Evidence

Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, June 19, 1903 – June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees.

Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS in 1939. The disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects motor neurons, the cells that control voluntary muscle movement. ALS leads to muscle weakness, atrophy, and paralysis. There is no cure for ALS, and the average life expectancy after diagnosis is three to five years.

Gehrig died on June 2, 1941, at the age of 37. The cause of death was listed as ALS. However, the new research suggests that Gehrig may have died from another condition.