1929 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 1929.

"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
 

American League Retirements

1929

n/a Bob Barrett Boston Red Sox 3B 31
n/a Elliot Bigelow Boston Red Sox OF 32
n/a Herb Bradley Boston Red Sox P 27
n/a Ed Carroll Boston Red Sox P 22
n/a Ray Dobens Boston Red Sox P 23
n/a Alex Gaston Boston Red Sox C 37
n/a Wally Gerber Boston Red Sox SS 38
n/a Grant Gillis Boston Red Sox 2B 29
n/a Jack Ryan Boston Red Sox OF 25
n/a Pat Simmons Boston Red Sox P 21
n/a Jerry Standaert Boston Red Sox 1B 28
n/a Ken Williams Boston Red Sox OF 39
n/a Grady Adkins Chicago White Sox P 32
n/a Lena Blackburne Chicago White Sox P 43
n/a Jerry Byrne Chicago White Sox P 23
n/a Dan Dugan Chicago White Sox P 23
n/a Dutch Hoffman Chicago White Sox OF 26
n/a Johnny Mostil Chicago White Sox OF 33
n/a Buck Redfern Chicago White Sox 2B 28
n/a Karl Swanson Chicago White Sox PH 29
57 Joe Hauser Cleveland Indians 1B 31
- Dan Jessee Cleveland Indians PR 29
18 Johnny Miljus Cleveland Indians P 34
1 Jackie Tavener Cleveland Indians SS 32
21 Jimmy Zinn Cleveland Indians P 35
n/a Josh Billings Detroit Tigers P 22
n/a Skinny Graham Detroit Tigers P 30
n/a Augie Prudhomme Detroit Tigers P 27
n/a Elam Vangilder Detroit Tigers P 34
n/a Larry Woodall Detroit Tigers PH 35
n/a Emil Yde Detroit Tigers P 30
21 George Burns New York Yankees PH 37
25 Ben Paschal New York Yankees OF 34
20 Julie Wera New York Yankees 3B 28
n/a Bill Breckinridge Philadelphia Athletics P 22
n/a George Burns Philadelphia Athletics 1B 37
n/a Jim Cronin Philadelphia Athletics 2B 24
n/a Walter French Philadelphia Athletics OF 30
n/a Bevo LeBourveau Philadelphia Athletics OF 33
n/a Cloy Mattox Philadelphia Athletics C 27
n/a Rudy Miller Philadelphia Athletics 3B 29
n/a Bud Morse Philadelphia Athletics 2B 25
n/a Ossie Orwoll Philadelphia Athletics P 29
n/a Jimmy Austin St. Louis Browns 3B 50
n/a Otis Brannan St. Louis Browns 2B 31
n/a Herb Cobb St. Louis Browns P 25
n/a Len Dondero St. Louis Browns 3B 26
n/a Oscar Estrada St. Louis Browns P 26
n/a Paul Hopkins St. Louis Browns P 25
n/a Ed Roetz St. Louis Browns SS 24
n/a Walter Beall Washington Senators P 30
n/a Charlie Gooch Washington Senators 1B 27
n/a Paul Hopkins Washington Senators P 25
n/a Doc Land Washington Senators OF 27
n/a Paul McCullough Washington Senators P 31
n/a Don Savidge Washington Senators P 21
n/a Stuffy Stewart Washington Senators 2B 36
n/a Ed Wineapple Washington Senators P 24
1929 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1929 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

Hank Aaron ended his Major League career on October 3, 1976, with a sharp single during the sixth inning off Dave Roberts of the Detroit Tigers.