Families impacted by ALS celebrated and commemorated at annual Brewers tailgate

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- On Friday, June 9, more than 600 people gathered to tailgate ahead of the Brewers game to raise awareness and money for the fight against ALS.

The "Chasin' A Cure" tailgate is part of the Brewers' efforts to commemorate Lou Gehrig Day, and the countless people impacted by ALS.

The day was a lot of fun for a lot of families that could use a break from one of the cruelest and most debilitating diseases.

Incredible advancements have been made in the fight against ALS, but still the disease does not stop. So those working to find a cure say they cannot stop, either.

Steve Berg told us his advice was, "Just keep throwing. Try to get it as far as you can."

Berg's been practicing ever since the righty was tapped to throw out the first pitch as part of MLB's commemoration of Lou Gehrig Day.

Berg was diagnosed with ALS in January of 2021. He said, "This is a great opportunity to represent the people with ALS today. And the chance to help this great cause."

Steve and his wife Julie are one of more than 700 Wisconsin families affected by ALS. They were celebrated at the annual tailgate.

Julie told us it felt "Reassuring to know we're not in this alone. That our family, our friends, are behind us 100%."

The ALS Association is working to make ALS a livable disease by 2030.

"That means better quality of life, longer lives and preventing cases of ALS in loved ones," according to Territorial Executive Josh Nuss.

Right now, the life expectancy after an ALS diagnosis is two to five years, but new drugs could extend that by six to 12 months.

Nuss said, "That could be a graduation, a wedding, a grandbaby. So, it's all the time in the world to them."

There was plenty to celebrate and enjoy at Friday's tailgate, while also raising awareness and critical funds.

The Brewers are important community partners, but for Mr. Baseball, it's personal.

Bob Uecker's daughter Leann died last spring from ALS.

In a PSA for the ALS Association, Uecker said, "We are making progress turning ALS from a fatal disease into a livable one."

As game time approached, it was time to head inside. Steve Berg walked to the mound. His first pitch was a strike on the corner.

He told us, "Even though life isn't fair, it doesn't mean you can't be good."

Lots of progress has been made in making ALS a livable disease. Lou Gehrig delivered his famous "luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech in 1939.

In the first 75 years after that speech, just one ALS drug was approved by the FDA. But in the last six years, three new ALS drugs have been approved.