Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2016
LIMA, Ohio – The University of Northwestern Ohio baseball team has announced plans to host a “Strike Out ALS” awareness game this season, setting the date for the game on April 16 against Concordia University (Mich.). The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch, and the day will feature multiple events to raise both awareness and money for the cause – which hits close to home for those in the Racer baseball family.
Amytrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a disease which has been brought to the forefront of public consciousness over the last two years thanks to social media. The disease also recently claimed the life of UNOH head baseball coach Kory Hartman’s mother, Karen Hartman, and the Racers plan to make a donation to The ALS Association Central & Southern Ohio Chapter in her honor. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, gets its name from the famous Yankees first baseman – Number 4 - who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1923 through 1939. Gehrig was renowned for his prowess as a hitter and for his durability, a trait which earned him his nickname "The Iron Horse". He was an All-Star seven consecutive times, a Triple Crown winner once, an American League (AL) Most Valuable Player twice, and a member of six World Series champion teams. He had a career .340 batting average, .632 slugging average, and a .447 on base average. He hit 493 home runs and had 1,995 runs batted in (RBI). In 1939, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and was the first MLB player to have his uniform number retired. Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS on June 19, 1939 - his 36th birthday - and died, June 2, 1941.
“ALS is a disease that has affected so many lives and has affected our baseball program in particular with the passing of our head coach’s mother this past March,” noted UNOH assistant coach Aaron Lee who is spearheading the campaign along with assistant coaches Pichi Torres and Sam Mote. “We as a baseball program wanted a way to honor not only Karen Hartman but also the many others that will or have been diagnosed with this terrible disease. Raising money and making people aware of this disease by having the ALS awareness game is just a small but important way of giving back.”
Prior to game day, the Racers will be taking donations for the cause. UNOH will be wearing special uniform elements for the game, including blue hats, and blue accented white helmets – up to six of which will be given to donors after the game. There will also be up to three signed UNOH baseball jerseys and up to nine signed posters given to donors. In addition, Marlin Seymour, ALS Association Central & Southern Ohio Chapter Executive Director will be in attendance to provide material and information about ALS and the free services the chapter has to offer to those in the area who are suffering with ALS.
The day will begin with a live remote of the new Sports Talk with Billy Elvis, which will air on 93.1 The Fan (WWSR) in Lima from 10 a.m. until Noon. The show will be hosted on site at the Racer Field Press Box as the Racers and Cardinals prepare for the double-header that afternoon, which will start at 1 p.m. Game one of the twin bill being carried locally on 93.1 as well. Prior to the first game, a representative of The ALS Association Central & Southern Ohio Chapter will throw out the first pitch, and during the first game, the Racers plan to send players into the stands to collect donations from fans at the game to help the cause. Between games, the Racers will present a check to the Chapter for the total amount of money raised.
Category: Athletics
Keywords: Athletics, Baseball, ALS