Who succeeded Lou Gehrig at first base?

After Lou Gehrig's retirement due to ALS in 1939, the New York Yankees initially used several players at first base, but ultimately, it was Tommy Henrich who filled in during the 1940 season. However, it was not until the arrival of Joe Collins in 1945 that he became the primary first baseman for the Yankees, succeeding Gehrig in that role. Collins played a significant part in the team's success during the late 1940s and early 1950s.