1893 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 1893.

"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

1893

n/a Bob Gilks Baltimore Orioles OF 29
n/a Jim Long Baltimore Orioles OF 31
n/a Edgar McNabb Baltimore Orioles P 28
n/a Jocko Milligan Baltimore Orioles 1B 32
n/a Harry Stovey Baltimore Orioles OF 37
n/a Harry Taylor Baltimore Orioles 1B 28
n/a Charlie Bennett Boston Beaneaters C 39
n/a Cliff Carroll Boston Beaneaters OF 34
n/a Bill Coyle Boston Beaneaters P 22
n/a Jim Garry Boston Beaneaters P 24
n/a Bill Quarles Boston Beaneaters P 25
n/a Bill Van Dyke Boston Beaneaters OF 30
n/a Ed Crane Brooklyn Bridegrooms P 32
n/a Harry Stovey Brooklyn Bridegrooms OF 37
n/a Bob Caruthers Chicago Colts OF 30
n/a Frank Donnelly Chicago Colts P 24
n/a Bob Glenalvin Chicago Colts 2B 27
n/a Abe Johnson Chicago Colts P uk
n/a Henry Lynch Chicago Colts OF 28
n/a Hal Mauck Chicago Colts P 25
n/a Gus McGinnis Chicago Colts P 23
n/a Sam Shaw Chicago Colts P uk
n/a Gus Yost Chicago Colts P uk
n/a Bob Caruthers Cincinnati Reds OF 30
n/a George Darby Cincinnati Reds P 25
n/a Charlie Duffee Cincinnati Reds OF 28
n/a George Henry Cincinnati Reds OF 30
n/a Bumpus Jones Cincinnati Reds P 24
n/a Pete Allen Cleveland Spiders C 26
n/a Billy Alvord Cleveland Spiders 3B 30
n/a Frank Boyd Cleveland Spiders C 26
n/a George Davies Cleveland Spiders P 26
n/a Jim Gilman Cleveland Spiders 3B 23
n/a Joe Gunson Cleveland Spiders C 31
n/a John Stafford Cleveland Spiders P 24
n/a Tom Williams Cleveland Spiders P 23
n/a Bob Clark Louisville Colonels C 31
n/a Billy Gumbert Louisville Colonels P 28
n/a Jerry Harrington Louisville Colonels C 25
n/a George Pinkney Louisville Colonels 3B 35
n/a Bill Rhodes Louisville Colonels P uk
n/a Curt Welch Louisville Colonels OF 32
n/a Lew Whistler Louisville Colonels 1B 26
n/a Mark Baldwin New York Giants P 30
n/a Ed Crane New York Giants P 32
n/a George Davies New York Giants P 26
n/a Shorty Howe New York Giants 3B uk
n/a Bumpus Jones New York Giants P 24
n/a King Kelly New York Giants C 36
n/a Bill Kinsler New York Giants OF 26
n/a Harry Lyons New York Giants OF 28
n/a Jack McMahon New York Giants C 24
n/a Jocko Milligan New York Giants C 32
n/a Seth Sigsby New York Giants P 20
n/a Tim Keefe Philadelphia Phillies P 37
n/a Gus McGinnis Philadelphia Phillies P 23
n/a Frank O'Connor Philadelphia Phillies P 25
n/a Jack Sharrott Philadelphia Phillies OF 24
n/a Tom Vickery Philadelphia Phillies P 27
n/a Mark Baldwin Pittsburgh Pirates P 30
n/a Jim Gray Pittsburgh Pirates SS 31
n/a Bill Goodenough St. Louis Browns OF 31
n/a Sandy Griffin St. Louis Browns OF 35
n/a Joe Gunson St. Louis Browns C 31
n/a Denny O'Neil St. Louis Browns 1B 27
n/a Frank Pears St. Louis Browns P 27
n/a Kid Summers St. Louis Browns OF 26
n/a Lew Whistler St. Louis Browns OF 26
n/a Jesse Duryea Washington Senators P 34
n/a John Graff Washington Senators P 27
n/a Henry Larkin Washington Senators 1B 34
n/a Cub Stricker Washington Senators 2B 34
n/a Sam Wise Washington Senators 2B 36
1893 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1893 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.

On September 28, 1960, broadcaster Curt Gowdy uttered, "It's got a chance. It's got a chance. And it's gone!" Those words were used to describe the final at-bat of slugger Ted Williams.