1886 National League Retirements

The baseball torch is passed from season to season and in some cases, from game to game. In 1911, Cy Young pitched his final Major League game, lost 1-0, and ended the final season of his career with a losing record of 7-9 and an ERA of 3.77. Young's opponent that particular day was a first-year pitcher named Grover Alexander who received the win, added to his league leading shutout total, and went on to begin his career with a winning record of 28-13 and an ERA of 2.57.

Bob Gibson, who was easily one of the most intense competitors of all time, gave up a grand slam to the last Major League hitter he faced, Pete LaCock of the Chicago Cubs. Fifteen years passed and when the two faced off during an old-timer's game, Gibson hit LaCock on his back with a fastball.

Babe Ruth summed it up when he responded to a question about retirement by saying, "A ballplayer should quit when it starts to feel as if all the baselines run uphill." Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a comprehensive list of National League League players who hung up their spikes in 1886.

"I'll never make the mistake of being seventy (70) again." - Casey Stengel comment made after being told to quit following the 1960 World Series
 

National League Retirements

1886

n/a George Moolic Chicago White Stockings C 22
n/a Tom Gillen Detroit Wolverines C 25
n/a Bill Smith Detroit Wolverines P 26
n/a George Baker Kansas City Cowboys C 29
n/a Jim Lillie Kansas City Cowboys OF 25
n/a Larry McKeon Kansas City Cowboys P 21
n/a Frank Ringo Kansas City Cowboys C 26
n/a Gene Bagley New York Giants C 25
n/a Ed Caskin New York Giants SS 35
n/a Frank Devin New York Giants OF 27
n/a Bill Finley New York Giants OF 23
n/a John Strike Philadelphia Phillies P uk
n/a Al Bauer St. Louis Maroons P 27
n/a Red Connolly St. Louis Maroons OF uk
n/a Frank Graves St. Louis Maroons C 26
n/a George Mappes St. Louis Maroons C 21
n/a Louis Pelouze St. Louis Maroons OF uk
n/a Jeremiah Reardon St. Louis Maroons P 18
n/a Phil Baker Washington Senators 1B 30
n/a Davy Force Washington Senators SS 37
n/a John Fox Washington Senators P 28
n/a Ed Fuller Washington Senators P 19
n/a Jim Gallagher Washington Senators SS uk
n/a Buck Gladmon Washington Senators 3B 23
n/a George Joyce Washington Senators OF 40
n/a Tony Madigan Washington Senators P 18
n/a Dave Oldfield Washington Senators C 22
n/a Joe Start Washington Senators 1B 44
n/a Ed Whiting Washington Senators C uk
n/a George Winkelman Washington Senators OF 22
n/a Bill Wise Washington Senators P 26
n/a Joe Yingling Washington Senators P 20
1886 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1886 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

Goose Goslin played for eighteen seasons and averaged one-hundred twenty-seven games played per season. In 1938, during his final at-bat, he twisted his back and was replaced at the plate by a pinch-hitter for the first time in his Major League career.

Stan Musial ended his Major League career on September 29, 1963. His final hit was a single during the sixth inning off Jim Maloney which drove in his last RBI (which was Curt Flood).