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This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here .

I have ALS, an incurable and fatal disease. There’s a good chance I will die within a few years.

But my spirit feels optimistic. My game is in the middle innings — lots of time left.

Baseball is an apt metaphor because ALS is “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” The legendary New York Yankee died from it. Despite his condition, he told his fans, “I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”

He was fortunate to make a living playing baseball. As a former semipro player, and as a lifelong fan of the game, I realize how magical that was.

But I also wonder: Was Gehrig feeling hopeful about beating ALS?

I know I am. I walk with a limp and speak with a slur, but in the grand schem

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