1919 American 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 American League League players who hung up their spikes in 1919.

"You are George Brett and all the cheering has stopped. The music is muted, the hour is late, and they will be taking the banners down and emptying your locker any minute now. As the late Jimmy Cannon would say it, 'All your bats are broken.'" - Broadcaster Jim Murray
 

American League Retirements

1919

n/a Jack Barry Boston Red Sox 2B 33
n/a George Dumont Boston Red Sox P 24
n/a Frank Gilhooley Boston Red Sox OF 27
n/a Bill James Boston Red Sox P 33
n/a Norm McNeil Boston Red Sox C 27
n/a Paul Musser Boston Red Sox P 30
n/a Dave Shean Boston Red Sox 2B 36
n/a Joe Wilhoit Boston Red Sox OF 34
n/a Joe Benz Chicago White Sox P 34
n/a Chick Gandil Chicago White Sox 1B 32
n/a Bill James Chicago White Sox P 33
n/a Joe Jenkins Chicago White Sox C 29
n/a Erskine Mayer Chicago White Sox P 30
n/a Tom McGuire Chicago White Sox P 28
n/a Win Noyes Chicago White Sox P 30
n/a Frank Shellenback Chicago White Sox P 21
n/a John Sullivan Chicago White Sox P 26
n/a Hi Jasper Cleveland Indians P 39
n/a Ed Klepfer Cleveland Indians P 32
n/a Ben Dyer Detroit Tigers 3B 27
n/a Bill James Detroit Tigers P 33
n/a Willie Mitchell Detroit Tigers P 30
n/a Archie Yelle Detroit Tigers C 27
n/a George Halas New York Yankees OF 25
n/a Frank Kane New York Yankees PH 25
n/a Luke Nelson New York Yankees P 26
n/a Pete Schneider New York Yankees P 24
n/a Walt Smallwood New York Yankees P 27
n/a Al Wickland New York Yankees OF 32
n/a Willie Adams Philadelphia Athletics P 29
n/a Bob Allen Philadelphia Athletics OF 25
n/a Walter Anderson Philadelphia Athletics P 22
n/a Art Ewoldt Philadelphia Athletics 3B 26
n/a Bill Grevell Philadelphia Athletics P 22
n/a Lew Groh Philadelphia Athletics 3B 36
n/a Roy Grover Philadelphia Athletics 2B 28
n/a Merlin Kopp Philadelphia Athletics OF 28
n/a Wickey McAvoy Philadelphia Athletics C 25
n/a Win Noyes Philadelphia Athletics P 30
n/a Ray Roberts Philadelphia Athletics P 24
n/a Harry Thompson Philadelphia Athletics P 30
n/a Terry Turner Philadelphia Athletics SS 39
n/a Dave Davenport St. Louis Browns P 30
n/a Ray Demmitt St. Louis Browns OF 36
n/a Ernie Koob St. Louis Browns P 27
n/a Rolla Mapel St. Louis Browns P 30
n/a Wally Mayer St. Louis Browns C 29
n/a Joe Schepner St. Louis Browns 3B 24
n/a Tod Sloan St. Louis Browns OF 29
n/a Sam Agnew Washington Senators C 33
n/a Jesse Baker Washington Senators SS 25
n/a Molly Craft Washington Senators P 24
n/a Claude Davidson Washington Senators 3B 23
n/a Ed Gill Washington Senators P 24
n/a Roy Grover Washington Senators 2B 28
n/a Ed Hovlik Washington Senators P 28
n/a Rip Jordan Washington Senators P 30
n/a Frank Kelliher Washington Senators PH 21
n/a Buzz Murphy Washington Senators OF 25
n/a Dick Robertson Washington Senators P 28
n/a Danny Silva Washington Senators 3B 23
n/a Harry Thompson Washington Senators P 30
n/a George Twombly Washington Senators OF 27
n/a Charlie Whitehouse Washington Senators P 26
1919 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1919 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.