1926 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 1926.

"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

1926

n/a Jimmy Johnston Boston Braves 3B 37
n/a Oscar Siemer Boston Braves C 25
n/a Ed Taylor Boston Braves 3B 25
n/a Bill Vargus Boston Braves P 27
n/a Sid Womack Boston Braves C 30
n/a George Boehler Brooklyn Robins P 35
n/a Sam Bohne Brooklyn Robins 2B 30
n/a Moose Clabaugh Brooklyn Robins OF 25
n/a Dick Cox Brooklyn Robins OF 29
n/a Snooks Dowd Brooklyn Robins 2B 29
n/a Milt Stock Brooklyn Robins 2B 33
n/a Dutch Stryker Brooklyn Robins P 31
n/a Leon Williams Brooklyn Robins P 21
n/a Whitey Witt Brooklyn Robins OF 31
n/a Mandy Brooks Chicago Cubs OF 29
n/a Wilbur Cooper Chicago Cubs P 35
n/a Joe Graves Chicago Cubs 3B 21
n/a Walt Huntzinger Chicago Cubs P 28
n/a Ralph Michaels Chicago Cubs PH 25
n/a George Milstead Chicago Cubs P 23
n/a Joe Munson Chicago Cubs OF 27
n/a Bill Piercy Chicago Cubs P 31
n/a Hank Schreiber Chicago Cubs SS 35
n/a Red Shannon Chicago Cubs SS 30
n/a Sam Bohne Cincinnati Reds SS 30
n/a Howie Carter Cincinnati Reds 2B 22
n/a Frank Emmer Cincinnati Reds SS 31
n/a Jimmy Hudgens Cincinnati Reds 1B 24
n/a Rufus Meadows Cincinnati Reds P 19
n/a Roy Meeker Cincinnati Reds P 26
n/a Doc Prothro Cincinnati Reds 3B 33
n/a Everett Scott Cincinnati Reds SS 34
n/a Brad Springer Cincinnati Reds P 23
n/a Jim Boyle New York Giants C 23
n/a Blackie Carter New York Giants OF 24
n/a Joe Connell New York Giants PH 25
n/a Pete Cote New York Giants PH 24
n/a Chick Davies New York Giants P 35
n/a Paul Florence New York Giants C 27
n/a Jimmy Johnston New York Giants OF 37
n/a Tim McNamara New York Giants P 28
n/a Al Moore New York Giants OF 24
n/a Joe Poetz New York Giants P 26
n/a Scottie Slayback New York Giants 2B 25
n/a Al Smith New York Giants P 23
n/a Mike Smith New York Giants OF 22
n/a Jack Wisner New York Giants P 27
n/a Ross Youngs New York Giants OF 30
n/a Joe Buskey Philadelphia Phillies SS 24
n/a Ed Cotter Philadelphia Phillies 3B 22
n/a Lee Dunham Philadelphia Phillies 1B 24
n/a Ray Grimes Philadelphia Phillies 1B 33
n/a Clarence Huber Philadelphia Phillies 3B 31
n/a Chick Keating Philadelphia Phillies 2B 35
n/a Mike Kelly Philadelphia Phillies P 24
n/a Wally Kimmick Philadelphia Phillies 1B 30
n/a Ernie Maun Philadelphia Phillies P 26
n/a Ray Pierce Philadelphia Phillies P 29
n/a Pete Rambo Philadelphia Phillies P 20
n/a Bob Rice Philadelphia Phillies 3B 28
n/a George Stutz Philadelphia Phillies SS 38
n/a Lew Wendell Philadelphia Phillies C 35
n/a Rusty Yarnall Philadelphia Phillies P 24
n/a Babe Adams Pittsburgh Pirates P 45
n/a Carson Bigbee Pittsburgh Pirates OF 32
n/a Bud Culloton Pittsburgh Pirates P 30
n/a Walter Mueller Pittsburgh Pirates OF 32
n/a Eddie Murphy Pittsburgh Pirates OF 35
n/a Red Oldham Pittsburgh Pirates P 33
n/a Johnny Rawlings Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 34
n/a Tom Sheehan Pittsburgh Pirates P 33
n/a Ed Clough St. Louis Cardinals P 20
n/a Walt Huntzinger St. Louis Cardinals P 28
n/a Duster Mails St. Louis Cardinals P 32
n/a Allen Sothoron St. Louis Cardinals P 34
n/a Ernie Vick St. Louis Cardinals C 26
n/a Bill Warwick St. Louis Cardinals C 29
1926 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1926 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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.