# Guess who probably didn't have Lou Gehrig's Disease **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 17, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528 "2010-08-17T14:47:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/1 "2010-08-17T14:47:21Z")
[Lou Gehrig.](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/sports/18gehrig.html?_r=3&hp=&pagewanted=all) > [@](#): > > A peer-reviewed paper to be published Wednesday in a leading journal of neuropathology, however, suggests that Gehrig’s demise — and that of some other athletes and soldiers given a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — might have been catalyzed by injuries only now becoming understood: concussions and other brain trauma. > > Although the paper does not discuss Gehrig specifically, its authors in interviews acknowledged the clear implication: Lou Gehrig might not have had Lou Gehrig’s disease. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/2 "2010-08-17T15:10:47Z")
Well, it would have been a remarkable coincidence anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/3 "2010-08-17T15:17:07Z")
That that that that is is is is is remarkable able able able ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/4 "2010-08-17T15:28:25Z")
“Lou, there is a disease out there with your name all over it.” ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/5 "2010-08-17T15:51:22Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Well, it would have been a remarkable coincidence anyway. Too soon, man! _Too soon!_ ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/6 "2010-08-17T16:16:53Z")
Why would anyone expect a first baseman to have suffered from brain trauma and concussions? A catcher, sure, one of the other infielders, maybe, if breaking up double plays was rough back then. Outfielders, if they crashed into fences a lot. But a first baseman like Lou Gehrig? Perhaps there’s a lot of misdiagnosis of ALS, but there’s no reason to think he in particular was amongst the mis-diagnosed. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/7 "2010-08-17T16:48:03Z")
Does this mean that we can finally start calling it Stephen Hawking’s Disease instead? Although, to be fair, Hawking’s case seems to be extremely atypical. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/8 "2010-08-17T16:50:30Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Why would anyone expect a first baseman to have suffered from brain trauma and concussions? A catcher, sure, one of the other infielders, maybe, if breaking up double plays was rough back then. Outfielders, if they crashed into fences a lot. But a first baseman like Lou Gehrig? > > Perhaps there’s a lot of misdiagnosis of ALS, but there’s no reason to think he in particular was amongst the mis-diagnosed. From the article: > [@](#): > > The finding’s relevance to Gehrig is less clear. But the Yankee legend had a well-documented history of significant concussions on the baseball field, and perhaps others sustained as a battering-ram football halfback in high school and at Columbia University. Given that, it’s possible that Gehrig’s renowned commitment to playing through injuries like concussions, which resulted in his legendary streak of playing in 2,130 consecutive games over 14 years, could have led to his condition. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/9 "2010-08-17T16:50:33Z")
You’d have to enunciate: STE-PHEN HAW-KING’S DIS-EASE. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/10 "2010-08-17T17:38:24Z")
He also played a year of football for Columbia University and, presumably, for some years before attending college. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/11 "2010-08-17T19:06:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does this mean that we can finally start calling it Stephen Hawking’s Disease instead? Or maybe [Serie A Disease](http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/oct/08/europeanfootball.serieafootball) ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/12 "2010-08-17T20:06:34Z")
FDR probably didn’t have polio, either, btw. [Paralytic illness of Franklin D. Roosevelt - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt%27s_paralytic_illness) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/13 "2010-08-17T20:06:47Z")
So, it’s The Illness Formerly Known As Lou Gehrig’s Disease, then ? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/14 "2010-08-17T20:09:10Z")
What would the level of irony be if Cal Ripken Jr. came down with actual LGD? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/15 "2010-08-17T20:15:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does this mean that we can finally start calling it Stephen Hawking’s Disease instead? I was considering this angle a little differently. “Professor Hawking, we have good news and we have bad news. The good news is it looks like you don’t have Lou Gehrig’s disease after all …” ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-who-probably-didnt-have-lou-gehrigs-disease/550528/16 "2010-08-17T20:50:58Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > > [@Chronos](#): > > > > Does this mean that we can finally start calling it Stephen Hawking’s Disease instead? > > I was considering this angle a little differently. > > “Professor Hawking, we have good news and we have bad news. The good news is it looks like you don’t have Lou Gehrig’s disease after all …” You’re going to hell! 🙂