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In the 71 years since the Yankees slugger Lou Gehrig declared himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth,” despite dying from a disease that would soon bear his name, he has stood as America’s leading icon of athletic valor struck down by random, inexplicable fate.

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.

Doctors at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Bedford, Mass., and the Boston University School of Medicine, the primary researchers of brain damage among deceased National Football League players, said that markings in the spinal cords of two players and one boxer who also received a diagnosis of A.L.S. indicate that those men did not have A.L.S. at all. They had a different fatal disease, doctors said, caused by concussionlike trauma, that erodes the central nervous system in similar ways.

The finding could prompt a redirection in the study of motor degeneration in athletes and military veterans being given diagnoses of A.L.S. at rates considerably higher than normal, said several experts in A.L.S. who had seen early versions of the paper. Patients with significant histories of brain trauma could be considered for different types of treatment, perhaps leading toward new pathways for a cure.

“Most A.L.S. patients don’t go to autopsy — there’s no need to look at your brain and spinal cord,” said Dr. Brian Crum, an assistant professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “But a disease can look like A.L.S., it can look like Alzheimer’s, and it’s not when you look at the actual tissue. This is something that needs to be paid attention to.”

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1. either way he didn't die from Lou Gehrig's disease because it wasn't called that until after he died

2. I understand the implications and theories behind the new "discovery" - former Eagles player Kevin Turner is thought to have it - but what head trauma did Gehrig suffer through...he played 1st base!

CatMom wrote:but what head trauma did Gehrig suffer through...he played 1st base!

From what I heard he was involved in several violent collisions at home plate...also was a football player in HS...

CatMom wrote:1. either way he didn't die from Lou Gehrig's disease because it wasn't called that until after he died

2. I understand the implications and theories behind the new "discovery" - former Eagles player Kevin Turner is thought to have it - but what head trauma did Gehrig suffer through...he played 1st base!

read the story... they detail it. Also in college he played football pre helmet days.

I've read it, plus one in my local paper and the one on Turner

I was being a bit facetious

CatMom wrote:1. either way he didn't die from Lou Gehrig's disease because it wasn't called that until after he died

2. I understand the implications and theories behind the new "discovery" - former Eagles player Kevin Turner is thought to have it - but what head trauma did Gehrig suffer through...he played 1st base!

If he died from ALS, and ALS is now known as Lou Gehrig's disease, then he died from Lou Gehrigs disease. The fact that they changed the name after his death is irrelevant.

Please read my previous post

CatMom wrote:Please read my previous post

Are you talking to me?

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

As for the previouis post that you want me to read (at least I think you mean me):

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

BlueHen86 wrote:

CatMom wrote:Please read my previous post

Are you talking to me?

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

As for the previouis post that you want me to read (at least I think you mean me):

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

And the bitch of the day award goes too.........

BlueHen86 wrote:

CatMom wrote:Please read my previous post

Are you talking to me?

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

As for the previouis post that you want me to read (at least I think you mean me):

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

There, that make you happy?

I just assumed you could figure this out on your own. Next time I'll know better.

CatMom wrote:

BlueHen86 wrote:
Are you talking to me?

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

As for the previouis post that you want me to read (at least I think you mean me):

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

There, that make you happy?

I just assumed you could figure this out on your own. Next time I'll know better.

I just assumed that you could figure out how to use the quote function on your own. It wasn't so hard was it?

UNHWildCats wrote:

BlueHen86 wrote:
Are you talking to me?

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

As for the previouis post that you want me to read (at least I think you mean me):

You should learn to use the quote function, that way people will know who and what you are responding to.

And the bitch of the day award goes too.........

I was just giving CatMom a hard time because I like her and think that she is a really good poster.

I would never give you a hard time.

BlueHen86 wrote:

UNHWildCats wrote: And the bitch of the day award goes too.........

I was just giving CatMom a hard time because I like her and think that she is a really good poster.

I would never give you a hard time.

you gotta wait a couple more hours before u can try for tomorrows bitch of the day award

UNHWildCats wrote:

BlueHen86 wrote:
I was just giving CatMom a hard time because I like her and think that she is a really good poster.

I would never give you a hard time.

you gotta wait a couple more hours before u can try for tomorrows bitch of the day award

Advice from a true professional...

BlueHen86 wrote:

UNHWildCats wrote: you gotta wait a couple more hours before u can try for tomorrows bitch of the day award

Advice from a true professional...

i gotta be good at something on here

it was the second gunman on the grassy knoll.
hired by the CIA

JayJ79 wrote:it was the second gunman on the grassy knoll.
hired by the CIA

I assume they are using Lou Gehrig to bring attention to their discovery, having no idea at all and no way of proving what Lou Gehrig actually died from.