1975 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 1975.

"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
 

American League Retirements

1975

32 Jim Hutto Baltimore Orioles C 28
2 Jim Northrup Baltimore Orioles OF 36
34 Bob Reynolds Baltimore Orioles P 29
11 Kim Andrew Boston Red Sox 2B 22
25 Tony Conigliaro Boston Red Sox DH 31
5 Buddy Hunter Boston Red Sox 2B 28
3 Dick McAuliffe Boston Red Sox 3B 36
18 Bob Allietta California Angels C 24
9 John Balaz California Angels OF 25
47 Steve Blateric California Angels P 32
29 Chuck Dobson California Angels P 32
5 John Doherty California Angels 1B 24
10 Tom Egan California Angels C 29
46 Chuck Hockenbery California Angels P 25
41 Charlie Hudson California Angels P 26
35 Dick Lange California Angels P 27
12 Winston Llenas California Angels 2B 32
16 Morris Nettles California Angels OF 24
44 Joe Pactwa California Angels P 27
28 Orlando Pena California Angels P 42
44 Luis Quintana California Angels P 24
29 Dave Sells California Angels P 29
9 Bill Sudakis California Angels DH 30
40 Lloyd Allen Chicago White Sox P 26
32 Bill Gogolewski Chicago White Sox P 28
11 Jerry Moses Chicago White Sox 1B 29
46 Ozzie Osborn Chicago White Sox P 29
41 Claude Osteen Chicago White Sox P 36
26 Skip Pitlock Chicago White Sox P 28
34 Cecil Upshaw Chicago White Sox P 33
47 Fred Beene Cleveland Indians P 33
1 Ken Berry Cleveland Indians OF 35
14 Tommy McCraw Cleveland Indians 1B 35
31 Jim Perry Cleveland Indians P 40
40 Bob Reynolds Cleveland Indians P 29
44 Jim Strickland Cleveland Indians P 29
4 Bill Sudakis Cleveland Indians 1B 30
28 Ike Brookens Detroit Tigers P 27
26 Gates Brown Detroit Tigers PH 37
42 Art James Detroit Tigers OF 23
2 John Knox Detroit Tigers 2B 27
10 Gene Lamont Detroit Tigers C 29
37 Tom Makowski Detroit Tigers P 25
16 Gene Michael Detroit Tigers SS 37
27 Jack Pierce Detroit Tigers 1B 27
34 Bob Reynolds Detroit Tigers P 29
3 Harmon Killebrew Kansas City Royals DH 39
12 Gary Martz Kansas City Royals OF 25
41 Lindy McDaniel Kansas City Royals P 40
28 Vada Pinson Kansas City Royals OF 37
33 Tommy Bianco Milwaukee Brewers 3B 23
12 Johnny Briggs Milwaukee Brewers OF 32
20 Lafayette Currence Milwaukee Brewers P 24
8 Rob Ellis Milwaukee Brewers OF 25
8 Jack Lind Milwaukee Brewers SS 29
17 Bobby Mitchell Milwaukee Brewers OF 32
49 Pat Osburn Milwaukee Brewers P 27
2, 22 Johnny Briggs Minnesota Twins 1B 32
23 Ray Corbin Minnesota Twins P 27
16 Tom Kelly Minnesota Twins 1B 25
13 Tom Lundstedt Minnesota Twins C 27
26 Mike Poepping Minnesota Twins OF 25
24 Rick Bladt New York Yankees OF 29
20 Ed Brinkman New York Yankees SS 34
20 Eddie Leon New York Yankees SS 29
42 Bob Oliver New York Yankees 1B 33
13 Walt Williams New York Yankees OF 32
8 Billy Grabarkewitz Oakland Athletics 2B 30
41 Dal Maxvill Oakland Athletics SS 37
36 Jim Perry Oakland Athletics P 40
23 Gaylen Pitts Oakland Athletics 3B 29
7 Charlie Sands Oakland Athletics DH 28
35 Sonny Siebert Oakland Athletics P 39
3 Herb Washington Oakland Athletics PR 24
3 Ed Brinkman Texas Rangers 3B 34
19 Leo Cardenas Texas Rangers 3B 37
39 Jim Gideon Texas Rangers P 22
49 Bill Hands Texas Rangers P 36
2 Joe Lovitto Texas Rangers OF 25
16 Jim Merritt Texas Rangers P 32
25 Tom Robson Texas Rangers 1B 30
25, 38 Clyde Wright Texas Rangers P 35
1975 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1975 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.

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.