Musing on…”Lou Gehrig’s Disease”

For as long as I can remember, whenever the media refer to ALS, it’s almost immediately followed with some form of: “Also known as ‘Lou Gehrig’s disease’.” I was just thinking that shouldn’t it be about time that that the “Lou Gehrig” part be dropped? While I intend no disrespect to the memory of Mr. Gehrig, I can’t help but wonder if the passage of time has diluted the emotional impact of the association.

It’s been fifty-four years since this baseball great passed away. At the time, still a star after fourteen years of playing, the news of his having ALS was shocking and tragic. Over half a century later, I think the public is pretty much over it. The time has come to respect what the man accomplished in his sport, to distance his name from the disease that has become his primary legacy, and let his athletic accomplishments once again be the thing that resonates with fans.

I wouldn’t be surprised to find that most people now recognize the disease named “ALS” more than “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” It’s time for the media to transition to primarily using the former, without thinking of the later as an obligatory tag to explain something that no longer needs explaining. Back in a less media-savvy age, letter-abbreviations and acronyms were too impersonal for the public at large–now, they are de rigueur. The time has come to let the “iron man” have some peace.