JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A Baseball Hall of Fame member who set the record for consecutive games played is headed to Joplin, Mo., to help with tornado recovery efforts.

Cal Ripken Jr. spent 21 years with the Baltimore Orioles and holds the Major League Baseball record with 2,632 consecutive games played.

He plans to help Habitat for Humanity volunteers rebuild two homes Wednesday morning in a Joplin neighborhood damaged by the deadly May 2011 tornado.

Ripken’s visit to southwest Missouri is the first stop in a 13-city tour of Habitat volunteer projects. The trip is sponsored by Energizer Holdings Inc., a St. Louis-based battery manufacturer.

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