The Fourth of July in 1939 fell on a Tuesday, and the New York Yankees were gearing up for their traditional holiday doubleheader, this time at home against the Washington Senators. The stadium, famously known as "The House That Ruth Built," was packed with 61,808 fans. Among them was the retired Babe Ruth, who was there to honor his fellow legend, Lou Gehrig, now being forced into retirement due to a mysterious loss of coordination and strength. This was the end of Gehrig's remarkable streak of 2,130 consecutive regular-season games, a feat that had only recently come to a close in early May. He had tried to play a minor league game in June but had to leave the field and soon after went to the Mayo Clinic.
The mystery of Gehrig's condition was swiftly solved by Dr. Harold Habein, the first doctor at Mayo Clinic to examine him. Gehrig was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the same disease that had claimed the life of Habein's mother. Back then, growing up in the 1950s, this affliction was often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," a name that resonated deeply within the world of baseball and beyond.
Decades have passed since then, and unfortunately, we don't need a connection to the legendary "Iron Horse" to understand the devastating impact of ALS. We've seen it appear suddenly in the lives of many familiar faces, eliciting reactions that range from stunned silence to an emotional "Oh, my God."
One such reaction was in 2021 when Charley Walters, a relentless notes columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in Minnesota, publicly revealed that Chris Engler had been diagnosed with ALS in May. The response was heartfelt: "Great dude. And a 7-foot man with this. Oh, my God." That November, an ALS event was held featuring hockey player and state Senator David Tomassoni, former Gophers infielder Mike Bruss, and Engler at Ridder Arena.
Sadly, Tomassoni passed away in August 2022 at 69, and Bruss followed in October 2023 at 68. Engler, however, turned 65 in March. My friend Dennis Fitzpatrick, a basketball enthusiast from St. Paul, shared with me about spending an afternoon with the former Gophers and NBA player at Lake Elmo, Minn. "Same Engler, just can't use his arms," Fitzpatrick noted.
This observation was spot on based on my two-hour visit with the Englers — Chris and Cara — a few days before the Fourth of July, marking the 85th anniversary of Gehrig's iconic "Luckiest Man" speech at Yankee Stadium. Engler greeted me standing tall on his long legs in the living room. Cara, a fierce student on the subject, explained, "Chris has a form of 'limb onset' ALS. Generally, it's not as fast-acting as 'bulbar onset,' which took David Tomassoni so quickly."
As we chatted, Chris sat in a lounge chair, his voice catching slightly as he spoke of his friend, "David became a great friend of ours in a short time." While Chris's legs still function, his neck is rigid, and his arms don't move on their own. During my visit, a medication delivery arrived, and there was workout equipment in the condo they own in Lutsen. "We're still good with the condos, but bad luck with the Lutsen Lodge resort nearby," Engler mentioned. "It burned down."
Despite these challenges, Chris retains a sense of humor and resilience. The third Engler, daughter Carina, is studying at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. They look forward to having her home for three weeks later in the summer. Her full name, Carina Christine Rebecka, has a special significance. "CCR … my favorite band," Engler joked. But the real reason for her extended name stems from their time in Sweden in 1991. Engler played basketball in Italy, France, and Sweden, where they befriended teammate Roland Rahm and his family, including their 10-year-old daughter Rebecka, who tragically died of cancer. "She was the greatest young girl," Engler recalled. "So courageous."
Chris Engler's life is filled with a multitude of anecdotes from his basketball days in Stillwater, Minn., to his time at the University of Minnesota, his prominence in the Western Athletic Conference at Wyoming, his NBA stint, his European adventures, and even his post-basketball career in law school and teaching in public schools. Cara and Chris remain hopeful about ongoing treatments that could slow ALS and dream that one day, researchers will find a definitive cure, more than 80 years after Gehrig's death on June 2, 1941.
Reflecting on their journey and the people they've met, nothing encapsulates the Englers' spirit more than their decision to honor a courageous young girl from Sweden in their daughter's name. This tribute speaks volumes about the strength, love, and resilience that define their lives.
Login