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Minn. Lawmakers Want Lou Gehrig's Medical Records

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Some Minnesota lawmakers are looking to force the release of Lou Gehrig's medical records, saying they might provide insight into whether the Yankees star died of the disease that now bears his name or from repetitive head trauma.

Their effort comes despite opposition from Mayo Clinic, which holds the records, and skepticism from experts that the records would prove anything.

Rep. Phyllis Kahn, a self-described baseball fanatic, concedes the records "probably won't show anything" but says they're worth a look.

The Minneapolis Democrat became intrigued after reading about a study in 2010 that suggested a potential link between repetitive brain trauma in athletes and ALS. She and other lawmakers want to change state law to allow release of health records of patients who have been dead more than 50 years.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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