BEVERLY, Mass. — An effort is underway to rename a Massachusetts park after the inspiration for the ice bucket challenge.

On online petition to name the park in Beverly after Pete Frates had more than 1,100 signatures as of Sunday. Frates, a Beverly native and former Boston College baseball player, played in what is currently known as Longfellow Playground as a youngster.

In the ice bucket challenge, people take a bucket of ice water and dump it over their head. So far, it has raised more than $115 million for research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Frates was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease 2012.

Frates in an email to The Salem News said he is humbled by the effort.

Any name change needs city council approval.


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