Lou Gehrig may not have had Lou Gehrig’s disease

That’s the implication of a new study of head trauma and ALS:

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.

First thought: Head injuries are even scarier than we thought.

Second thought: If this is true, can we get ALS changed to “Charlie Mingus’ Disease?”