Matt Chaney's son, Brian, 14, helps load the ball Photo Dylan Chaney

Although baseball fans enjoy the traditional method of pitching, the debut of the "bootball," a small cup attached to a shoe, at the Oakland A's game on Monday, June 7th, provided fans with a creative alternative.

Lafayette's Matt Chaney, the creator of the bootball, was diagnosed nine years ago with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or more commonly, Lou Gehrig's disease. Chaney has worked as to raise awareness and funds for research.

Last year, the MLB launched the 4ALS Awareness campaign to commemorate Lou Gehrig's retirement. As part of that program, Chaney took the mound to boot the first pitch at the A's game.