1984 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 1984.

"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

1984

48 Tony Brizzolara Atlanta Braves P 28
33 Pete Falcone Atlanta Braves P 31
6 Randy Johnson Atlanta Braves 3B 28
47 Mike Payne Atlanta Braves P 23
4 Biff Pocoroba Atlanta Braves PH 31
8 Bob Watson Atlanta Braves 1B 39
33 Porfi Altamirano Chicago Cubs P 33
37 Bill Johnson Chicago Cubs P 24
30 Chuck Rainey Chicago Cubs P 30
29 Tom Veryzer Chicago Cubs SS 32
42 Keefe Cato Cincinnati Reds P 27
30 Mike Richardt Houston Astros PH 27
30 Tony Scott Houston Astros OF 33
13 Tom Wieghaus Houston Astros C 28
50 Tony Brewer Los Angeles Dodgers OF 27
17, 37 Rafael Landestoy Los Angeles Dodgers 2B 32
51 Lemmie Miller Los Angeles Dodgers OF 24
16 Rick Monday Los Angeles Dodgers 1B 39
43 Jose Morales Los Angeles Dodgers PH 40
56 Rich Rodas Los Angeles Dodgers P 25
37 Mike Vail Los Angeles Dodgers OF 33
47 Larry White Los Angeles Dodgers P 26
48 Fred Breining Montreal Expos P 29
15 Mike Fuentes Montreal Expos OF 26
35 Ron Johnson Montreal Expos 1B 29
44 Bobby Ramos Montreal Expos C 29
1 Tony Scott Montreal Expos OF 33
45 Brent Gaff New York Mets P 26
42 Ron Hodges New York Mets C 35
9 Jerry Martin New York Mets OF 36
12 John Stearns New York Mets C 33
27 Craig Swan New York Mets P 34
32 Dick Tidrow New York Mets P 38
30 Mike Torrez New York Mets P 38
37 Renie Martin Philadelphia Phillies P 29
45 Tug McGraw Philadelphia Phillies P 40
35 Chris Green Pittsburgh Pirates P 24
14 Milt May Pittsburgh Pirates C 34
26 Amos Otis Pittsburgh Pirates OF 38
39 Mitchell Page Pittsburgh Pirates PH 33
50 Eddie Vargas Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 26
15 Ron Wotus Pittsburgh Pirates SS 24
44 Jeff Zaske Pittsburgh Pirates P 24
25 Floyd Chiffer San Diego Padres P 29
10 Doug Gwosdz San Diego Padres C 24
39 Eddie Miller San Diego Padres OF 27
42 Sid Monge San Diego Padres P 34
24 Champ Summers San Diego Padres 1B 38
31 Mark Calvert San Francisco Giants P 28
31, 45 Jeff Cornell San Francisco Giants P 28
37 Randy Gomez San Francisco Giants C 28
17 Bob Lacey San Francisco Giants P 31
17 Renie Martin San Francisco Giants P 29
2 Joe Pittman San Francisco Giants SS 31
25 Gene Richards San Francisco Giants OF 31
35 Kevin Hagen St. Louis Cardinals P 25
30 Bill Lyons St. Louis Cardinals 2B 27
1984 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1984 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).

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.