1929 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 1929.

"I'll never make the mistake of being seventy (70) again." - Casey Stengel comment made after being told to quit following the 1960 World Series
 

National League Retirements

1929

n/a Red Barron Boston Braves OF 29
n/a Bill Clarkson Boston Braves P 31
n/a Pat Collins Boston Braves C 33
n/a Jack Cummings Boston Braves C 26
n/a Art Delaney Boston Braves P 35
n/a Johnny Evers Boston Braves 2B 48
n/a Kent Greenfield Boston Braves P 27
n/a George Harper Boston Braves OF 37
n/a Bunny Hearn Boston Braves P 26
n/a Dixie Leverett Boston Braves P 36
n/a Red Peery Boston Braves P 23
n/a Henry Peploski Boston Braves 3B 24
n/a Jack Smith Boston Braves OF 34
n/a Phil Voyles Boston Braves OF 30
n/a Johnny Werts Boston Braves P 32
n/a Al Weston Boston Braves PH 24
n/a Win Ballou Brooklyn Robins P 32
n/a Clarence Blethen Brooklyn Robins P 36
n/a Joe Bradshaw Brooklyn Robins P 32
n/a Max Carey Brooklyn Robins OF 40
n/a Alex Ferguson Brooklyn Robins P 33
n/a Kent Greenfield Brooklyn Robins P 27
n/a Jimmy Pattison Brooklyn Robins P 21
n/a Luther Roy Brooklyn Robins P 27
n/a Max West Brooklyn Robins OF 25
n/a Tom Angley Chicago Cubs C 25
n/a Mike Cvengros Chicago Cubs P 29
n/a Hank Grampp Chicago Cubs P 26
n/a Trader Horne Chicago Cubs P 31
n/a Claude Jonnard Chicago Cubs P 32
n/a Norm McMillan Chicago Cubs 3B 34
n/a Art Nehf Chicago Cubs P 37
n/a Ken Penner Chicago Cubs P 34
n/a Leo Dixon Cincinnati Reds C 35
n/a Rube Ehrhardt Cincinnati Reds P 35
n/a Dutch Kemner Cincinnati Reds P 31
n/a Hugh McMullen Cincinnati Reds C 28
n/a Pinky Pittinger Cincinnati Reds SS 31
n/a Pid Purdy Cincinnati Reds OF 25
n/a Wally Shaner Cincinnati Reds 1B 30
n/a Ivey Wingo Cincinnati Reds C 39
n/a Paul Zahniser Cincinnati Reds P 33
n/a Billy Zitzmann Cincinnati Reds OF 34
n/a Andy Cohen New York Giants 2B 25
n/a Jack Cummings New York Giants C 26
n/a Carl Mays New York Giants P 38
n/a Ray Schalk New York Giants C 37
n/a Jack Scott New York Giants P 38
n/a Jim Tennant New York Giants P 23
n/a Sam Dailey Philadelphia Phillies P 26
n/a Alex Ferguson Philadelphia Phillies P 33
n/a June Greene Philadelphia Phillies P 30
n/a Jim Holloway Philadelphia Phillies P 21
n/a Walt Lerian Philadelphia Phillies C 27
n/a Terry Lyons Philadelphia Phillies 1B 21
n/a Bob McGraw Philadelphia Phillies P 35
n/a Elmer Miller Philadelphia Phillies P 27
n/a Joe O'Rourke Philadelphia Phillies PH 25
n/a Luther Roy Philadelphia Phillies P 27
n/a Joe Dawson Pittsburgh Pirates P 33
n/a Fred Fussell Pittsburgh Pirates P 34
n/a Mel Ingram Pittsburgh Pirates PR 25
n/a Cobe Jones Pittsburgh Pirates SS 22
n/a Bob Linton Pittsburgh Pirates C 28
n/a Lee Meadows Pittsburgh Pirates P 35
n/a John O'Connell Pittsburgh Pirates C 25
n/a Jim Stroner Pittsburgh Pirates 3B 29
n/a Bill Windle Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 25
n/a Johnny Butler St. Louis Cardinals 3B 37
n/a Bill Doak St. Louis Cardinals P 39
n/a Hal Goldsmith St. Louis Cardinals P 31
n/a Fred Haney St. Louis Cardinals 3B 34
n/a Mul Holland St. Louis Cardinals P 27
n/a Billy Southworth St. Louis Cardinals OF 37
1929 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1929 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).

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.