Witt receives Gehrig Award amid special company

SURPRISE, Ariz. – In front of his teammates, coaches and Royals superfan Sarah Nauser, Bobby Witt Jr. was presented with the 2025 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award on Tuesday morning, given annually to an MLB player who best exemplifies the giving character of Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig.

The award is sponsored by the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity, a group Gehrig was a member of, and it was first presented in 1955. It’s permanently maintained at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown.

Witt is the third member of the Royals to win the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, following George Brett in 1986 and Salvador Perez in 2021.

“It’s truly an honor, especially being able to receive it while Sarah was here, with Salvy and George here,” Witt said. “It’s really just an honor to be able to show any type of support toward ALS and what that disease has done to people, just trying to help in any way possible. It’s an honor. It’s really inspirational to see what they go through and how hard they fight, it makes you want to work harder.”

Nauser being in attendance made it even more special for Witt and the Royals on Tuesday. In 2018, Nauser was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. She’s a former police officer in Kansas City and worked Royals games as dugout security. Nauser had to retire after her diagnosis and now uses a wheelchair with a machine that helps her breathe, but her Royals fandom has never subsided. Now, she’s close with Brett, Perez, Witt and the entire Royals organization. The Royals, Live Like Lou Foundation, PerMobil and Phi Delta Theta gifted her a brand new, custom Royals-branded wheelchair last summer, which allows her to wheel herself around using her eyes on the attached monitor.

Nauser has always tried to make a trip out to Spring Training to see the Royals, and the past three years, she’s been invited into the clubhouse so the team can share her story. On Tuesday, Mike Sweeney and George Brett introduced her to the entire team, and she also said a few words.

“A lot of these guys tell me what an inspiration that I am to them, so this was my turn to tell them what an inspiration they are to me,” Nauser said. “And how much they mean to me. They make this fight so much easier because of the motivation they give me.”

Then it was time to surprise Witt with the Lou Gehrig Award. Not often is he speechless, but he had a hard time coming up with the right words to describe his gratitude Tuesday. Mainly, he just focused on Nauser and what an inspiration she is to the organization.

“Spring Training is kind of groundhog’s day, so when she shows up, it’s kind of like another burst of energy,” Witt said. “Everyone’s got another pep in their step. Guys are playing for more than just themselves, more than what’s on the back of [their jersey]. They’re playing for [her], which is really special.”

Witt is a dedicated advocate for organizations raising awareness and helping the ALS fight. For the past three seasons, he has hosted clinics for more than 400 local youth, supporting philanthropic groups such as Susanna Smiles, Sarah’s Soldiers and the Team Hilliard Foundation. In 2025, the youth clinic raised over $45,000 to support Nauser’s foundation that helps people battling ALS. Each year on Lou Gehrig Day during the season, Witt has organized a suite at Kauffman Stadium to honor those impacted by ALS.

Having three players from her favorite team be recipients of the Lou Gehrig Award makes Nauser extremely proud, and to be able to present Witt with the award this year is even more special.

“It doesn’t only bring awareness to the game and to ALS, but I hope it makes people realize that these guys are so much more than just the game,” Nauser said. “These guys do so much in the community. That’s what Lou did. Never wanted to be recognized, but they deserve to be recognized, and I think that’s important for people to know. It’s so much more than just baseball.”