Phillies Phight ALS
Aug 12, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley (26) celebrates with his team after running in a score against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is taking the web by storm and the Philadelphia Phillies organization is getting in on the trend.
While there’s been a lot of fun with cold water in spreading awareness for ALS, it’s truly a serious matter. To the baseball world amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is known as “Lou Gehrig‘s Disease.” The New York Yankees legend suffered from ALS and was forced out of baseball because of it. The horrible disease affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain.
Before the trend took off, the Phillies got in on the fight against ALS earlier in the year. In May during the 30th annual Phillies ALS Phestival the organization raised $904,732 for ALS research.
Veteran pitcher A.J. Burnett got in on the action while nominating teammate David Buchanan and President Barack Obama among others.
Buchanan accepted Burnett’s challenge and nominated fellow big-leaguer
as he was drenched by the Phanatic.
The Phanatic contined to pour on the water as ace Cole Hamels took the challenge and nominated Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Phillies broadcaster Jamie Moyer.
Third baseman
went a more humorous route nominating actress Jennifer Aniston
Former Phillies starter
took the challenge and went on to nominate GM Ruben Amaro, Jr.
To the delight of many fans, Amaro was soaked in ice cold water.
Amaro nominated a few other GMs.
More and more videos of members of the Phillies organization accepting the challenge are likely to flood in. In the mean time, a terrible disease baseball has fought since the days of Gehrig is gaining an immense amount of recognition.