Baseball Almanac - 1885 National League Retirements

1885 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 1885.

"I want to hit a routine grounder to second and run all out to first base, then get thrown out by a half step. I want to leave an example to the young guys that that's how you play the game, all out." - George Brett

National League Retirements
1885

# Name Team Pos Age

n/a Bill Collver Boston Beaneaters OF 19

n/a Daisy Davis Boston Beaneaters P 27

n/a Walter Hackett Boston Beaneaters 2B 28

n/a Guerdon Whiteley Boston Beaneaters OF 26

n/a John Connor Buffalo Bisons P 24

n/a Bill Crowley Buffalo Bisons OF 29

n/a Buttercup Dickerson Buffalo Bisons OF 27

n/a Dennis Driscoll Buffalo Bisons 2B 23

n/a Dave Eggler Buffalo Bisons OF 37

n/a John Fisher Buffalo Bisons P 30

n/a Moxie Hengle Buffalo Bisons 2B 28

n/a Jim McDonald Buffalo Bisons SS 25

n/a Dick Phelan Buffalo Bisons 2B 31

n/a Charlie Ritter Buffalo Bisons 2B uk

n/a Joe Stabell Buffalo Bisons OF uk

n/a Fred Wood Buffalo Bisons C 20

n/a Ed Gastfield Chicago White Stockings C 20

n/a Wash Williams Chicago White Stockings OF uk

n/a George Bryant Detroit Wolverines 2B 29

n/a Chub Collins Detroit Wolverines SS 28

n/a Jerry Dorgan Detroit Wolverines OF uk

n/a Ed Gastfield Detroit Wolverines C 20

n/a Jim Halpin Detroit Wolverines SS 22

n/a Nate Kellogg Detroit Wolverines SS 27

n/a Frank Meinke Detroit Wolverines OF 22

n/a Jerrie Moore Detroit Wolverines C 31

n/a Charlie Morton Detroit Wolverines 3B 31

n/a Frank Olin Detroit Wolverines 3B 26

n/a John Hiland Philadelphia Phillies 2B 25

n/a Tom Lynch Philadelphia Phillies OF 26

n/a The Only Nolan Philadelphia Phillies P 28

n/a Bill Vinton Philadelphia Phillies P 21

n/a Wiman Andrus Providence Grays 3B 27

n/a John Foley Providence Grays P 28

n/a Charlie Hallstrom Providence Grays P 22

n/a Sam Kimber Providence Grays P 33

n/a Lon Knight Providence Grays OF 32

n/a Tim Manning Providence Grays SS 32

n/a Bill Stellberger Providence Grays P 21

n/a Johnny Ward Providence Grays P 24

n/a Dick Burns St. Louis Maroons OF 22

n/a John Fogarty St. Louis Maroons OF 22

n/a Charlie Krehmeyer St. Louis Maroons C 22

n/a Unknown Palmer St. Louis Maroons P uk

n/a Dick Phelan St. Louis Maroons 3B 31

n/a Rooney Sweeney St. Louis Maroons OF 27

# Name Team Pos Age

1885 National League Retirements

Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1885 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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.

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