1890 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 1890.

"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

1890

n/a Al Lawson Boston Beaneaters P 22
n/a John Taber Boston Beaneaters P 22
n/a Tony Von Fricken Boston Beaneaters P 22
n/a Lady Baldwin Brooklyn Bridegrooms P 32
n/a Doc Bushong Brooklyn Bridegrooms C 34
n/a Mickey Hughes Brooklyn Bridegrooms P 24
n/a Jim Andrews Chicago Colts OF 25
n/a Fred Demarais Chicago Colts P 24
n/a Ossie France Chicago Colts P 32
n/a Robert Gibson Chicago Colts P 21
n/a Ed Hutchinson Chicago Colts 2B 24
n/a Chuck Lauer Chicago Colts C uk
n/a Dad Lytle Chicago Colts OF 29
n/a Pete O'Brien Chicago Colts 2B 23
n/a Pat Wright Chicago Colts 2B 25
n/a Kid Baldwin Cincinnati Reds C 26
n/a Joe Knight Cincinnati Reds OF 31
n/a Hugh Nicol Cincinnati Reds OF 33
n/a Joe Ardner Cleveland Spiders 2B 33
n/a Vince Dailey Cleveland Spiders OF 26
n/a Bill Delaney Cleveland Spiders 2B 28
n/a Bill Garfield Cleveland Spiders P 23
n/a Ezra Lincoln Cleveland Spiders P 22
n/a Pat Lyons Cleveland Spiders 2B uk
n/a Charlie Parsons Cleveland Spiders P 27
n/a Edgar Smith Cleveland Spiders P 28
n/a Joe Sommer Cleveland Spiders OF 32
n/a Pete Sommers Cleveland Spiders C 24
n/a Len Stockwell Cleveland Spiders OF 31
n/a Peek-A-Boo Veach Cleveland Spiders 1B 28
n/a Buck West Cleveland Spiders OF 30
n/a Rasty Wright Cleveland Spiders OF 28
n/a Sam Crane New York Giants 2B 37
n/a John Henry New York Giants OF 27
n/a Joe Hornung New York Giants OF 33
n/a George McMillan New York Giants OF 27
n/a Bob Murphy New York Giants P 24
n/a Pat Murphy New York Giants C 34
n/a Tom O'Rourke New York Giants C 25
n/a Mort Scanlan New York Giants 1B 30
n/a Pete Sommers New York Giants C 24
n/a Dave Anderson Philadelphia Phillies P 22
n/a John Coleman Philadelphia Phillies P 31
n/a Bill Day Philadelphia Phillies P 23
n/a Harry Decker Philadelphia Phillies 1B 26
n/a Billy Sunday Philadelphia Phillies OF 28
n/a Dave Anderson Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 22
n/a Fred Clement Pittsburgh Alleghenys SS 24
n/a John Coleman Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF 28
n/a Sam Crane Pittsburgh Alleghenys 2B 37
n/a Bill Day Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 23
n/a Harry Decker Pittsburgh Alleghenys C 26
n/a Robert Gibson Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 21
n/a Harry Gilbert Pittsburgh Alleghenys 2B 22
n/a John Gilbert Pittsburgh Alleghenys SS 27
n/a Charlie Gray Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 26
n/a John Hayner Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 19
n/a Charlie Heard Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF 19
n/a Guy Hecker Pittsburgh Alleghenys 1B 35
n/a Ducky Hemp Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF 28
n/a Henry Jones Pittsburgh Alleghenys P uk
n/a Mike Jordan Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF 28
n/a John Kelty Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF 20
n/a Al Lawson Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 22
n/a Dad Lytle Pittsburgh Alleghenys 2B 29
n/a Frank McGinn Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF uk
n/a Fred Osborne Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF uk
n/a Phil Routcliffe Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF 20
n/a Ed Sales Pittsburgh Alleghenys SS uk
n/a Bill Sowders Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 26
n/a Billy Sunday Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF 28
n/a Fred Truax Pittsburgh Alleghenys OF uk
n/a Peek-A-Boo Veach Pittsburgh Alleghenys 1B 28
n/a Henry Youngman Pittsburgh Alleghenys 3B 26
n/a George Ziegler Pittsburgh Alleghenys P 19
1890 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1890 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

Did you know that future hall of fame pitcher Walter Johnson ended his Major League career in 1927 with a pinch-hit appearance? During the final game of the season pitcher Tom Zachary, who had just given up Babe Ruth's sixtieth home run of the season, was lifted and Johnson replaced him at the plate.

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).