OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics will honor Hall of Fame pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter with a special day dedicated to raising money to fight Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Hunter, the anchor of the A's pitching staffs of the 1970s, will be honored before the June 12 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last November, Hunter was diagnosed with ALS, more commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease." The Athletics will donate a portion of all tickets sold to the June 12 game to the "Catfish" Hunter Foundation. "Jim Hunter has given Oakland A's fans a number of great memories," said team President Mike Crowley. "From the perfect game to three consecutive World Series championships, `Catfish' gave his all to those teams. Now, when Jim `Catfish' Hunter needs us, is the time for the organization and our fans to show our appreciation." During pregame ceremonies, Hunter will be joined by his family and several former A's teammates. Reggie Jackson, Bert Campaneris, Ray Fosse, Rick Monday, John "Blue Moon" Odom and Joe Rudi will appear along with former manager Dick Williams. Hunter's 3-year-old grandson, Taylor, will throw out the first pitch. Hunter was one of the original Oakland A's, pitching here from 1968-74. During that time, he appeared in four American League Championship Series and helped the Athletics win three straight World Series from 1972-74. A five-time 20-game winner who recorded 224 victories in a 15-year career with the Kansas City-Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees, Hunter was diagnosed with MLS last November and has been taking medication to slow the fatal illness. ALS is a rare and fatal disease that attacks nerves in the spinal cord and brain. The disease manifests in muscle weakness and loss of motor skills and leads to paralysis and ultimately death. The disease is named for its most famous victim, Yankees Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, who died of the ailment in 1941 at age 37. The 52-year-old Hunter pitched a perfect game for the Athletics on May 8, 1968 against Minnesota, but earned another place in baseball history by becoming the game's first multi-millionaire free agent, signing a five-year, $3.75 million deal with the Yankees on New Year's Eve 1974. Hunter, an eight-time All-Star who relied primarily on location and changing speeds, saved his best peformances for big games. He was 4-0 with a save in World Series games for the Athletics. After winning a career-best 25 games in 1974, he was freed from his contract when an arbitrator determined Oakland owner Charles Finley had violated terms of the deal. Hunter won 23 games in 1975, his first season in New York, and the following year helped the Yankees to their first World Series appearance since 1964. While arm trouble began limiting his effectiveness, he was a member of the Yankees' back-to-back World Series championship teams in 1977-78. Hunter retired after the 1979 season with a 224-166 record and a 3.26 ERA. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987.  