A Tradition of Courage: Boston College's ALS Game and the Legacy of Pete Frates

Photo Courtesy of Boston College Athletics

What makes the city of Boston so unique is its deep-rooted love for community and tradition, especially when it comes to sports.

"The City of Champions" takes on an even deeper meaning when you understand the significance of these traditions.

For Boston College’s baseball program, one game stands out on the schedule: their annual ALS Awareness Game. This event has become more than just a game—it’s a heartfelt tribute to the fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, with the entire community coming together to raise awareness and show support for those affected by the disease.

Setting the scene back to 2006, during the Eagles’ annual Baseball Beanpot Championship game against Harvard University at Fenway Park, then-junior Peter Frates stepped up to the plate and crushed a home run into the bullpen. This marked the beginning of his reign of terror on behalf of the maroon and gold. In his senior season, Frates set a school record with eight RBIs in a single game, highlighted by a grand slam and a three-run homer. While he led the Eagles in home runs as both a junior and senior, he also paced the team with 19 stolen bases in his final season. But Frates was more than just a standout outfielder — he became a trusted leader, someone his teammates and coaches could depend on both on and off the field.

After losing his battle with ALS at the age of 34, Frates’ legacy lived on, a testament to his strength and determination until the very end. People like Frates are one in a million, and everyone around him understood that a legacy as impactful — and a person as seemingly larger than life — deserved to have his story heard and carried on. And so, they did.

In the 13th Annual ALS Awareness Game, the Eagles were edged by the Miami Hurricanes, with a final score of 4-3. The Eagles struck first, thanks to a walk by sophomore slugger Adam Magpoc (.257/.403/.403), which allowed junior Josiah Ragsdale (.308/.400/.512) to cross home plate. However, it was freshman Colin Larson’s (.243/.404/.459) home run to the Fenway bullpen that stole the spotlight, evoking memories of Vince Cimini’s iconic home run in the 2024 ALS game. Despite the early lead, the Hurricanes fought back in the 8th inning. Sophomore Daniel Cuvet (.339/.413/.671) delivered a game-changing grand slam, propelling Miami to a 4-3 advantage.

Although the outcome of the matchup favored only one team, both sides could agree that the experience at Fenway meant much more than just a win on paper. It was a day of remembrance and a powerful connection to the community.

“It means a lot to me when people refer to this as the ALS Game, not the Fenway Game. This is the ALS game. This is the Pete Frates game. This is for awareness all around the world. The Red Sox give us Fenway as a platform, but without Pete and without his mission, none of this is even possible,” Shared Boston College’s head coach, Todd Interdonato.“Our guys have a really good understanding and understand the value of it. They do a really good job of passing that message along to the first-year guys. Our first-year guys fully understand and appreciate why we get to play in here every year.”

Interdonato recalled that it was likely 2012 when he and his wife traveled to Boston for a football game — he believed it was October of that year. His wife, a Boston College alumna, had brought him up for the Clemson–BC game. At the time, Interdonato had heard about Frate’s diagnosis. He and his wife happened to meet Frates.

“At the time, he was a good-looking 25-year-old, you’d never think it," Interdonato said. "Then we saw him again, maybe in 2016. I remember we did the Ice Bucket Challenge. I was working at a camp in Long Island, New York, with about 50 other coaches when that came up, and we all did the (ALS Ice Bucket) challenge there. It’s just funny how life works sometimes — like, I shouldn’t have even met him."

Reflecting on it, Interdonato said it was funny how life worked. Realistically, he had no reason to meet Pete — living in South Carolina, with no ties to BC baseball. Yet somehow, their paths crossed. And looking back, it didn’t seem like it happened just by chance.

Alongside the Frates’ family, there is another notable alumnus who has taken it upon himself to make a mark in the fight against ALS. Former Eagles pitcher John West knew just how detrimental this disease is to families, having lost his father at a young age to ALS.

“John (West) lost his dad when he was just 13 or 14 years old, and he's carried that with him ever since. When you have young men who handle situations like that with such strength — better than almost anyone, regardless of age — it brings a personal side and a sense of reality that connects with our players,” Interdonato explained, fighting back the emotions of the day.

After being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 12th round this past summer, West still made it a point to send his love to his former teammates and coaches on this special gameday.

“I was texting with John (West) overnight; he's out in Oregon now. He sent me a long message, and I found myself crying at 4:30 in the morning reading it. As long as it stays personal like that, I think our guys will appreciate it — and John (West) did a great job of that last year.”

This past fall, West’s partner in crime, graduate student Patrick Roche, reflected on what the ALS game meant to families like the Wests and the Frates during his time with the Eagles, before moving on to the Diamondbacks.

“He (West) got drafted by the Diamondbacks last year. He was one of my best friends. Being the ALS game was a special night for him, he lost his father to ALS and he was presenting a wheelchair that, that he had helped raise money for and donate it to someone who had ALS. It was going to be a pregame ceremony, and they were going to throw out the first pitch.”

Roche, at the time, was battling an injury, leaving him unable to play on Fenway soil. Naturally, conflicted with the struggles of not being able to play, Roche overlooked this aspect with the help of his coaches and supported West, who started on the mound that night in honor of the cause.

“People were going to be talking about that ALS game when he (West) donated the chair and they said you're not going to have been there because you were hurt or because you couldn't realize the reality of the situation that is bigger than just the fact that you couldn't play a baseball game on Fenway Park, but you've got to be in the dugout with your teammates at Fenway Park and they shifted my perspective. After that, I called my dad, and I was like, ‘Dad, I got to go to the game. ’ And he was like, ‘I'll be there, text me and if you want to leave, we'll leave.’...I stayed the whole game. We won and it was awesome.”

At Boston College, the ALS Awareness Game is more than just a tradition — it’s a living tribute to resilience, family, and the unbreakable bonds that sports can forge. It's a reminder that while wins and losses may fade from memory, the impact of people like Pete Frates and John West endures far beyond the final out. Their stories, woven into the very fabric of BC baseball, continue to inspire a new generation of Eagles to play for something bigger than themselves.

At Fenway Park, year after year, it's not just baseball that's celebrated — it’s courage, community, and the enduring legacy of those who fought bravely, loved deeply, and never gave up. Because for Boston College, and for everyone touched by ALS, this game will always be more than a game. It’s a mission, a memory, and a promise to keep fighting — together.