American baseball player Lou Gehrig (1903-1941). Gehrig served as the first baseman for the New York Yankees. He is best known for his remarkable achievement of playing in 2,130 consecutive games, a record that stood for many years. In 1939, at the age of 36, Gehrig was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which ultimately led to his retirement from baseball and his death two years later. The disease is now commonly referred to as Lou Gehrigs disease. His illness and subsequent passing brought significant national attention to a condition that was largely unknown to the American public and had received little research or treatment at the time.