**Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves Wins Prestigious Lou Gehrig Memorial Award**
**Atlanta Braves** pitcher **Chris Sale** has been named the 2024 recipient of the **Lou Gehrig Memorial Award**, an honor presented annually by the **Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity** to a Major League Baseball player who embodies the selfless and giving spirit of Hall of Famer **Lou Gehrig**. Gehrig, a member of the fraternity’s Columbia University chapter, is remembered not only for his legendary career but also for his humility and generosity.
Sale becomes the sixth Braves player to win the award, joining an elite group that includes **Warren Spahn** (1961), **Hank Aaron** (1970), **Phil Niekro** (1979), **Dale Murphy** (1985), and **John Smoltz** (2005). He will receive the award during a pregame ceremony this summer.
The Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, established in 1955, is permanently housed at the **National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum** in Cooperstown, New York. Past winners include baseball icons like **Stan Musial**, **Brooks Robinson**, **Cal Ripken Jr.**, **Derek Jeter**, and many others.
Since joining the Braves before the 2024 season, Sale has made a profound impact on the **Braves Country** community. Each month during the season, he hosts deserving fans—including children from **Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta**, **Camp Sunshine**, and military families through the **Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)**—in the **Atlanta Braves Foundation’s Community Clubhouse** at Truist Park. These experiences include food, beverages, Braves merchandise, and personal interactions with Sale, who takes time to meet with guests, sign autographs, and take photos.
One particularly moving moment came on **Memorial Day**, when Sale hosted TAPS families who had lost loved ones in military service. The families were invited onto the field pregame to meet Sale, creating a memorable and emotional experience.
Sale’s connection to Lou Gehrig’s legacy is deeply personal. His grandmother passed away from **ALS** in 1995 when he was just five years old, sparking his lifelong admiration for Gehrig. This season, Sale played a key role in the Braves’ **Lou Gehrig Day** celebration, joining teammate **Matt Olson** to honor twin sisters from North Carolina who lost their father to ALS. The sisters received scholarships from the **Live Like Lou Foundation**, which Sale and Olson matched. Sale also participated in a pregame ceremony and caught the first pitch from the son of a local ALS patient, making the day unforgettable for all involved.
Through his community efforts and personal connection to Gehrig’s legacy, Chris Sale has proven himself a deserving recipient of the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, continuing a tradition of honoring players who exemplify the values of generosity, humility, and service.
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