1902 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 1902.

"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
 

American League Retirements

1902
n/a Erve Beck Detroit Tigers 1B 24
n/a C.B. Burns Baltimore Orioles PH 24
n/a Ike Butler Baltimore Orioles P 29
n/a Bill Carrick Washington Senators P 29
n/a Luis Castro Philadelphia Athletics 2B 26
n/a Ginger Clark Cleveland Blues P 24
n/a Tim Donahue Washington Senators C 32
n/a John Durham Chicago White Stockings P 21
n/a Bones Ely Washington Senators SS 39
n/a Ed Fisher Detroit Tigers P 26
n/a Frank Foreman Baltimore Orioles P 40
n/a Dad Hale Baltimore Orioles P 23
n/a Zaza Harvey Cleveland Blues OF 24
n/a Crese Heismann Baltimore Orioles P 23
n/a Bert Husting Boston Americans P 25
n/a Bert Husting Philadelphia Athletics P 25
n/a Slats Jordan Baltimore Orioles OF 24
n/a Jack Katoll Baltimore Orioles P 30
n/a Jack Katoll Chicago White Stockings P 30
n/a Ed Kenna Philadelphia Athletics P 25
n/a Bob Lawson Baltimore Orioles P 26
n/a Dummy Leitner Chicago White Stockings P 30
n/a Dummy Leitner Cleveland Blues P 30
n/a Pete LePine Detroit Tigers OF 26
n/a Jack Lundbom Cleveland Blues P 26
n/a Jimmy Mathison Baltimore Orioles 3B 24
n/a Arch McCarthy Detroit Tigers P 22
n/a Sam McMackin Chicago White Stockings P 30
n/a Sam McMackin Detroit Tigers P 30
n/a Bill Mellor Baltimore Orioles 1B 28
n/a Win Mercer Detroit Tigers P 28
n/a John O'Connell Detroit Tigers 2B 31
n/a Hal O'Hagan Cleveland Blues 1B 33
n/a Andy Oyler Baltimore Orioles 3B 23
n/a Lou Polchow Cleveland Blues P 23
n/a Odie Porter Philadelphia Athletics P 26
n/a Lew Post Detroit Tigers OF 28
n/a George Prentiss Baltimore Orioles P 26
n/a George Prentiss Boston Americans P 26
n/a Wilbert Robinson Baltimore Orioles C 38
n/a Ernie Ross Baltimore Orioles P 23
n/a Lou Schiappacasse Detroit Tigers OF 22
n/a George Starnagle Cleveland Blues C 29
n/a Farmer Steelman Philadelphia Athletics C 27
n/a Oscar Streit Cleveland Blues P 29
n/a Dike Varney Cleveland Blues P 22
n/a Cal Vasbinder Cleveland Blues P 22
n/a Cy Vorhees Washington Senators P 28
n/a Dave Williams Boston Americans P 22
n/a Gary Wilson Boston Americans 2B 24
n/a George Yeager Baltimore Orioles C 28
1902 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1902 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).

Did you know that future hall of fame pitcher Walter Johnson ended his Major League career in 1927 with a pinch-hit appearance? During the final game of the season pitcher Tom Zachary, who had just given up Babe Ruth's sixtieth home run of the season, was lifted and Johnson replaced him at the plate.
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