Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig Jr. played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees (1923–1939) Gehrig was an All-Star seven consecutive times, a Triple Crown winner once, an American League (AL) Most Valuable Player twice, and a member of six World Series champion teams. He set several major-league records during his career, including the most career grand slams (23) and most consecutive games played (2,130) In 1939, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and was the first MLB player to have his uniform number (4) retired by a team. Gehrig died of complications from ALS two years later.