1941 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 1941.

"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

1941

3 Earl Averill Boston Braves OF 40
27 George Barnicle Boston Braves P 24
- Buster Bray Boston Braves OF 29
- John Dudra Boston Braves 2B 26
30 Wes Ferrell Boston Braves P 34
35 Don Manno Boston Braves OF 27
27 Al Montgomery Boston Braves C 21
28 Al Piechota Boston Braves P 28
36 Mel Preibisch Boston Braves OF 27
21 Joe Sullivan Boston Braves P 31
15 Tom Drake Brooklyn Dodgers P 29
32 Lee Grissom Brooklyn Dodgers P 34
47 George Pfister Brooklyn Dodgers C 23
15 Vito Tamulis Brooklyn Dodgers P 30
20 Kemp Wicker Brooklyn Dodgers P 35
21 Frank Jelincich Chicago Cubs OF 24
5, 10 Billy Myers Chicago Cubs SS 31
19, 29 Barney Olsen Chicago Cubs OF 22
41 Vance Page Chicago Cubs P 36
4, 16, 18 Wimpy Quinn Chicago Cubs P 24
17 Charlie Root Chicago Cubs P 43
32 Monte Pearson Cincinnati Reds P 33
33 Jack Aragon New York Giants PR 26
35 Rae Blaemire New York Giants C 31
20 Jumbo Brown New York Giants P 35
29 John Davis New York Giants 3B 26
18 Bump Hadley New York Giants P 37
26 Odell Hale New York Giants 2B 33
9 Gabby Hartnett New York Giants C 41
23 Jo-Jo Moore New York Giants OF 33
33 Roy Bruner Philadelphia Phillies P 25
23 Jim Carlin Philadelphia Phillies OF 24
10 Lee Grissom Philadelphia Phillies P 34
30 Bill Harman Philadelphia Phillies P 23
33 Dale Jones Philadelphia Phillies P 23
16 George Jumonville Philadelphia Phillies 2B 25
35 Joe Marty Philadelphia Phillies OF 28
23 Wally Millies Philadelphia Phillies C 35
31, 21 Heinie Mueller Philadelphia Phillies 2B 29
10 Vito Tamulis Philadelphia Phillies P 30
2 Ripper Collins Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 38
28 Dick Lanahan Pittsburgh Pirates P 30
26 Joe Sullivan Pittsburgh Pirates P 31
42 Hersh Lyons St. Louis Cardinals P 26
33 Charlie Marshall St. Louis Cardinals C 22
1941 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1941 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.

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).