Baseball Almanac - 1889 National League Retirements

1889 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 1889.

"You start chasing a ball and your brain immediately commands your body to: Run forward. Bend. Scoop up the ball. Peg it to the infield. Then your body says, 'Who, me?'" - Retirement comment made by Joe DiMaggio

National League Retirements
1889

# Name Team Pos Age

n/a Bill Bishop Chicago White Stockings P 20

n/a Silver Flint Chicago White Stockings C 34

n/a Henry Boyle Indianapolis Hoosiers P 29

n/a Bill Burdick Indianapolis Hoosiers P 30

n/a Jack Fee Indianapolis Hoosiers P 22

n/a George Myers Indianapolis Hoosiers OF 29

n/a Jumbo Schoeneck Indianapolis Hoosiers 1B 28

n/a Lev Shreve Indianapolis Hoosiers P 21

n/a Bill George New York Giants OF 25

n/a Pete Wood Philadelphia Phillies P 23

n/a Alex Beam Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 20

n/a Pete Conway Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 23

n/a Al Krumm Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 25

n/a Jim Banning Washington Senators C 23

n/a Harry Clarke Washington Senators OF 29

n/a Hi Ebright Washington Senators C 30

n/a Art McCoy Washington Senators 2B 25

# Name Team Pos Age

1889 National League Retirements

Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1889 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

On July 28, 1976, Blue Moon Odom pitched the final five innings of his Major League career. He was relieved by Francisco Barrios in the sixth inning and the two White Sox combined to pitch a 2-1 no-hitter versus the Oakland Athletics.

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.

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