1899 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 1899.

"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

1899

n/a Pat Crisham Baltimore Orioles 1B 22
n/a Charlie Harris Baltimore Orioles 3B 22
n/a Bill Hill Baltimore Orioles P 25
n/a Kit McKenna Baltimore Orioles P 27
n/a Ralph Miller Baltimore Orioles P 27
n/a John O'Brien Baltimore Orioles 2B 33
n/a Bobby Rothermel Baltimore Orioles 2B 29
n/a Marty Bergen Boston Beaneaters C 28
n/a Billy Ging Boston Beaneaters P 27
n/a Mike Hickey Boston Beaneaters 2B 28
n/a Charlie Kuhns Boston Beaneaters SS 23
n/a Bill Merritt Boston Beaneaters C 29
n/a General Stafford Boston Beaneaters OF 32
n/a Mike Sullivan Boston Beaneaters P 33
n/a Pete Cassidy Brooklyn Superbas 3B 27
n/a Welcome Gaston Brooklyn Superbas P 25
n/a John Grim Brooklyn Superbas C 32
n/a Bill Hill Brooklyn Superbas P 25
n/a Dan McFarlan Brooklyn Superbas P 26
n/a Zeke Wrigley Brooklyn Superbas SS 26
n/a Jim Connor Chicago Orphans 2B 37
n/a Doc Curley Chicago Orphans 2B 26
n/a Bill Lange Chicago Orphans OF 28
n/a Frank Quinn Chicago Orphans OF 23
n/a Skel Roach Chicago Orphans P 28
n/a Bill Dammann Cincinnati Reds P 27
n/a Frank Dwyer Cincinnati Reds P 32
n/a Lefty Houtz Cincinnati Reds OF 24
n/a Bid McPhee Cincinnati Reds 2B 40
n/a Dusty Miller Cincinnati Reds OF 31
n/a Jake Stenzel Cincinnati Reds OF 32
n/a Jack Taylor Cincinnati Reds P 27
n/a Farmer Vaughn Cincinnati Reds 1B 36
n/a Frank Bates Cleveland Spiders P 23
n/a George Bristow Cleveland Spiders OF 30
n/a Harry Colliflower Cleveland Spiders P 31
n/a Jim Duncan Cleveland Spiders 1B 28
n/a Bill Hill Cleveland Spiders P 25
n/a Charlie Knepper Cleveland Spiders P 29
n/a Eddie Kolb Cleveland Spiders P 19
n/a Harry Maupin Cleveland Spiders P 27
n/a Louis Sockalexis Cleveland Spiders OF 28
n/a Jack Stivetts Cleveland Spiders OF 32
n/a Suter Sullivan Cleveland Spiders 3B 27
n/a Tommy Tucker Cleveland Spiders 1B 36
n/a Kitty Brashear Louisville Colonels P 22
n/a Burley Byers Louisville Colonels SS 26
n/a George Decker Louisville Colonels 1B 33
n/a Clay Fauver Louisville Colonels P 27
n/a Mike Kelley Louisville Colonels 1B 24
n/a Bob Langsford Louisville Colonels SS 34
n/a Tom Messitt Louisville Colonels C 25
n/a Harry Wilhelm Louisville Colonels P 26
n/a Dave Wills Louisville Colonels 1B 23
n/a Tom Colcolough New York Giants P 29
n/a Ira Davis New York Giants SS 29
n/a Leo Fishel New York Giants P 22
n/a Willie Garoni New York Giants P 22
n/a Charlie Gettig New York Giants P uk
n/a Scott Hardesty New York Giants SS 30
n/a Youngy Johnson New York Giants P 26
n/a Frank Martin New York Giants 3B 21
n/a Frank McPartlin New York Giants P 28
n/a John Puhl New York Giants 3B 24
n/a Doc Sechrist New York Giants P 24
n/a Bill Stuart New York Giants 2B 26
n/a Mike Tiernan New York Giants OF 33
n/a Parke Wilson New York Giants C 32
n/a Franklin Woodruff New York Giants OF 26
n/a Zeke Wrigley New York Giants 3B 26
n/a Jack Fifield Philadelphia Phillies P 28
n/a Billy Goeckel Philadelphia Phillies 1B 28
n/a George Wheeler Philadelphia Phillies P 30
n/a Willie Clark Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 27
n/a Paddy Fox Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 31
n/a Chummy Gray Pittsburgh Pirates P 26
n/a Art Madison Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 29
n/a John O'Brien Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 33
n/a Jay Parker Pittsburgh Pirates P 25
n/a Harley Payne Pittsburgh Pirates P 32
n/a Heinie Reitz Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 32
n/a Billy Rhines Pittsburgh Pirates P 31
n/a Zeke Rosebraugh Pittsburgh Pirates P 24
n/a Frank Bates St. Louis Perfectos P 23
n/a Harry Blake St. Louis Perfectos OF 25
n/a Pete McBride St. Louis Perfectos P 24
n/a Ed McKean St. Louis Perfectos SS 35
n/a Dusty Miller St. Louis Perfectos OF 31
n/a Jake Stenzel St. Louis Perfectos OF 32
n/a Zeke Wilson St. Louis Perfectos P 30
n/a Charlie Atherton Washington Senators 3B 26
n/a Kirtley Baker Washington Senators P 30
n/a Dick Butler Washington Senators C 30
n/a Pete Cassidy Washington Senators 1B 27
n/a George Decker Washington Senators 1B 33
n/a Jim Duncan Washington Senators C 28
n/a Jack Fifield Washington Senators P 28
n/a Jake Gettman Washington Senators OF 24
n/a Billy Hulen Washington Senators SS 30
n/a Bill Leith Washington Senators P 27
n/a Dan McFarlan Washington Senators P 26
n/a Dorsey Riddlemoser Washington Senators P 25
n/a Mike Roach Washington Senators C 30
n/a General Stafford Washington Senators 2B 32
1899 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1899 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.

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.