American Family Field hosts tailgate for Lou Gehrig Day

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Major League Baseball celebrated Lou Gehrig Day today, on June 2.

It is the second year the league has honored the legendary Yankees first baseman -- who died of ALS on this day in 1941.

Ahead of tonight's Brewers game, ALS advocates in the Milwaukee area met up for a  tailgate at American Family Field.

The event was organized in part by the ALS organization -- which serves around 600 families in Wisconsin every year.

"We have support groups, we fund ALS mult-disciplinary clinics - where people can receive care on multi-facets, durable medical equipment that we can loan out to families in need of equipment," said Ashley Yoder, managing director of development of the ALS Association.

MLB teams across the country hosted similar events today.

June 2 is a special day for the league -- not only is it the day Lou Gehrig passed -- it is also the day he made his major league debut for the New York Yankees.