1951 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 1951.

"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

1951

11 Blix Donnelly Boston Braves P 38
22 George Estock Boston Braves P 27
10 Buddy Kerr Boston Braves SS 29
1, 8 Ray Mueller Boston Braves C 40
15 Luis Olmo Boston Braves OF 32
11 Sid Schacht Boston Braves P 34
43 Dan Bankhead Brooklyn Dodgers P 32
11 Mickey Livingston Brooklyn Dodgers C 37
16 Earl Mossor Brooklyn Dodgers P 26
37 Jim Russell Brooklyn Dodgers OF 33
40 Chuck Connors Chicago Cubs 1B 31
6 Fred Richards Chicago Cubs 1B 24
23 Andy Varga Chicago Cubs P 21
33 Jim Blackburn Cincinnati Reds P 27
52 Danny Litwhiler Cincinnati Reds OF 35
14 Sammy Meeks Cincinnati Reds 3B 29
7 Bob Scheffing Cincinnati Reds C 38
38 Red Hardy New York Giants P 29
27 Spider Jorgensen New York Giants OF 32
33 Jack Kramer New York Giants P 34
24 Jack Maguire New York Giants OF 27
10 Hank Schenz New York Giants PR 33
15 Artie Wilson New York Giants 2B 31
37, 5 Jimmy Bloodworth Philadelphia Phillies 2B 34
41 Jack Brittin Philadelphia Phillies P 28
18 Milo Candini Philadelphia Phillies P 34
17 Stan Hollmig Philadelphia Phillies PH 26
15 Ed Sanicki Philadelphia Phillies OF 28
25 Ken Silvestri Philadelphia Phillies C 36
33 Jocko Thompson Philadelphia Phillies P 35
37 Dick Whitman Philadelphia Phillies OF 31
10, 12 Monty Basgall Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 30
30 Con Dempsey Pittsburgh Pirates P 29
3 Bob Dillinger Pittsburgh Pirates 3B 33
26 Bill Koski Pittsburgh Pirates P 20
12 Jack Maguire Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 27
7 Danny Murtaugh Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 34
21 Dino Restelli Pittsburgh Pirates OF 27
10 Hank Schenz Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 33
29 Junior Walsh Pittsburgh Pirates P 33
34 Larry Ciaffone St. Louis Cardinals OF 27
30 Kurt Krieger St. Louis Cardinals P 25
34 Dan Lewandowski St. Louis Cardinals P 24
38 Don Richmond St. Louis Cardinals 3B 32
30 Bob Scheffing St. Louis Cardinals C 38
36 Jay Van Noy St. Louis Cardinals OF 23
1951 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1951 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

On September 28, 1960, broadcaster Curt Gowdy uttered, "It's got a chance. It's got a chance. And it's gone!" Those words were used to describe the final at-bat of slugger Ted Williams.