1921 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 1921.

"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

1921

n/a Tim Hendryx Boston Red Sox OF 31
n/a Hob Hiller Boston Red Sox PH 29
n/a Ernie Neitzke Boston Red Sox OF 27
n/a John Perrin Boston Red Sox OF 24
n/a Sammy Vick Boston Red Sox OF 27
n/a Ossie Vitt Boston Red Sox 3B 32
n/a Charlie Blackburn Chicago White Sox P 27
n/a Hod Fenner Chicago White Sox P 24
n/a George Lees Chicago White Sox C 27
n/a Elmer Leifer Chicago White Sox 3B 29
n/a John Michaelson Chicago White Sox P 28
n/a Bugs Morris Chicago White Sox P 30
n/a Dominic Mulrenan Chicago White Sox P 28
n/a Red Ostergard Chicago White Sox PH 26
n/a Rusty Pence Chicago White Sox P 22
n/a Frank Pratt Chicago White Sox PH 24
n/a Lee Thompson Chicago White Sox P 24
n/a Cy Twombly Chicago White Sox P 24
n/a Jack Wieneke Chicago White Sox P 28
n/a Ray Caldwell Cleveland Indians P 34
n/a Bob Clark Cleveland Indians P 24
n/a Bernie Henderson Cleveland Indians P 23
n/a Pinch Thomas Cleveland Indians C 34
n/a Art Wilson Cleveland Indians C 36
n/a Doc Ayers Detroit Tigers P 31
n/a Sam Barnes Detroit Tigers 2B 22
n/a George Cunningham Detroit Tigers OF 27
n/a Herm Merritt Detroit Tigers SS 21
n/a Jim Middleton Detroit Tigers P 33
n/a Slicker Parks Detroit Tigers P 26
n/a Pol Perritt Detroit Tigers P 30
n/a Joe Sargent Detroit Tigers 2B 28
n/a Suds Sutherland Detroit Tigers P 28
n/a Jim Walsh Detroit Tigers P 27
n/a Ping Bodie New York Yankees OF 34
n/a Tom Connelly New York Yankees OF 24
n/a Tom Rogers New York Yankees P 30
n/a Braggo Roth New York Yankees OF 29
n/a Bill Bishop Philadelphia Athletics P 21
n/a Zip Collins Philadelphia Athletics OF 30
n/a Harvey Freeman Philadelphia Athletics P 24
n/a Dot Fulghum Philadelphia Athletics SS 21
n/a Ivy Griffin Philadelphia Athletics 1B 25
n/a Paul Johnson Philadelphia Athletics OF 25
n/a Ben Mallonee Philadelphia Athletics OF 28
n/a Ray Miner Philadelphia Athletics P 25
n/a Scott Perry Philadelphia Athletics P 31
n/a Arlas Taylor Philadelphia Athletics P 26
n/a Johnny Walker Philadelphia Athletics 1B 25
n/a Lefty Wolf Philadelphia Athletics P 21
n/a Bernie Boland St. Louis Browns P 30
n/a Nick Cullop St. Louis Browns P 34
n/a Joe DeBerry St. Louis Browns P 25
n/a Billy Gleason St. Louis Browns 2B 27
n/a Lyman Lamb St. Louis Browns 3B 27
n/a Bugs Morris St. Louis Browns P 30
n/a Ray Richmond St. Louis Browns P 25
n/a Luke Stuart St. Louis Browns 2B 30
n/a Dutch Wetzel St. Louis Browns OF 28
n/a Red Bird Washington Senators P 32
n/a Tony Brottem Washington Senators C 31
n/a George Foss Washington Senators 3B 24
n/a Nemo Gaines Washington Senators P 24
n/a Duffy Lewis Washington Senators OF 34
n/a Vance McIlree Washington Senators P 24
n/a Ralph Miller Washington Senators P 23
n/a Al Schacht Washington Senators P 29
n/a Jim Shaw Washington Senators P 28
1921 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1921 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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).

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.