Gerrit Cole has received many accolades in his time with the New York Yankees including three All-Star Game nods and a Cy Young Award, but he’ll add an off-field accolade to his shelf.
Last night the Yankees’ ace was among those honored at the ALS United Greater New York’s annual Lou Gehrig Legacy Gala, and he spoke to media before the night began about both the event and baseball-related work.
Others Award Honorees include MLB.com’s Sarah Langs (Iron Horse Award), Thomas Pulley (Jacob K. Javits Lifetime Achievement Award), and Kasper Roet (Champion Award).
Throughout the night, speakers reiterated the unseperable bond between baseball and ALS awareness, the work that MLB has done to promote awareness, and the race for a cure.
The Yankees’ Near Century-Long Bonds with ALS Awareness Continues With Gerrit Cole
Still referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease to some, ALS and the chase for a cure has become synonymous with baseball, as the sport celebrates the career-long Yankee first baseman every year.
Last night’s Gala honored Gerrit Cole, whose charitable work off-field earned him the Lou Gehrig Sports Award for his strength, integrity, and perseverance both on and off the field.
On the field, Cole is one of the best pitchers of his generation, inside the top three in strikeouts (2,251) and wins (153) since making his MLB debut in 2013.
Yankees fans have seen his dominance in the Bronx, but five-time World Series Champion David Cone spoke about what makes him so special off-the-field:
“He understands what it means to be the best pitcher on the Yankees. He understands what it means to be an ace. He also understands what comes around off-the-field with the Yankees. That’s a rare combination; he gets it he’s one of those few that gets it.”
A member of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball crew and a frequent YES analyst, Cone also mentioned that Cole as one of his favorite pitchers in the game to watch.
Cole himself is aware of the weight of such an honor; he grew up a fan of the Yankees, doing an assignment in his school days on Lou Gehrig’s battle with ALS, a moment that came around full circle last night.
“Tonight is a really great honor for myself and my family, having a personal connection to Lou Gehrig, being a part of the Yankees, being able to raise awareness for ALS, all these things are wonderful.”
Lou Gehrig’s name is one of royalty to the Yankees’ organization, and its why there’s a bond between those pinstripes and ALS awareness that players, past and present, are astutely aware of.
President Kristen Cocoman described the bond between baseball and ALS awareness as ‘inseparable’ and it’s an example of what a simple game can do for the society’s betterment.
There isn’t a cure, but the more people can shine light on funding research, the closer humanity can get to creating an effective one.
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