1887 American Association 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 Association League players who hung up their spikes in 1887.

"You are George Brett and all the cheering has stopped. The music is muted, the hour is late, and they will be taking the banners down and emptying your locker any minute now. As the late Jimmy Cannon would say it, 'All your bats are broken.'" - Broadcaster Jim Murray
 

American Association Retirements

1887

n/a Bill Gardner Baltimore Orioles P 21
n/a Bob Keating Baltimore Orioles P 25
n/a Ernie Burch Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers OF 31
n/a Ed Greer Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers OF uk
n/a Billy Otterson Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers SS 26
n/a Jumbo McGinnis Cincinnati Red Stockings P 34
n/a Mike Shea Cincinnati Red Stockings P 21
n/a Mother Watson Cincinnati Red Stockings P 23
n/a Scrappy Carroll Cleveland Blues OF 27
n/a Hugh Daily Cleveland Blues P 40
n/a Ed Flynn Cleveland Blues 3B 24
n/a Fred Mann Cleveland Blues OF 30
n/a George Pechiney Cleveland Blues P 26
n/a Charlie Reipschlager Cleveland Blues C 32
n/a Jimmy Say Cleveland Blues 3B uk
n/a Charlie Sweeney Cleveland Blues 1B 25
n/a Amos Cross Louisville Colonels C 28
n/a Clarence Cross New York Metropolitans SS 32
n/a Charlie Hall New York Metropolitans OF 24
n/a Sadie Houck New York Metropolitans SS uk
n/a George McMullen New York Metropolitans P uk
n/a John Meister New York Metropolitans OF 25
n/a Jon Morrison New York Metropolitans OF 29
n/a Fred O'Neill New York Metropolitans OF 23
n/a Lip Pike New York Metropolitans OF 43
n/a John Shaffer New York Metropolitans P 24
n/a Al Atkinson Philadelphia Athletics P 27
n/a Tommy Casey Philadelphia Athletics P uk
n/a Frank Chapman Philadelphia Athletics P 26
n/a Ed Greer Philadelphia Athletics OF uk
n/a Fred Mann Philadelphia Athletics OF 30
n/a Bobby Mathews Philadelphia Athletics P 36
n/a Jim Roxburgh Philadelphia Athletics C 30
n/a Billy Taylor Philadelphia Athletics P 33
n/a Joe Murphy St. Louis Browns P 21
n/a Lou Sylvester St. Louis Browns OF 33
1887 American Association Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American Association during the 1887 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.