Baseball Almanac - 1904 American League Retirements

1904 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 1904.

"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 League Retirements
1904

# Name Team Pos Age

n/a Tom Dougherty Chicago White Sox P 24

n/a Jack Hickey Cleveland Blues P 23

n/a Billy Lush Cleveland Blues OF 31

n/a Bill Schwartz Cleveland Blues 1B 21

n/a Monte Beville Detroit Tigers C 30

n/a Jack Burns Detroit Tigers 2B 25

n/a Ed Gremminger Detroit Tigers 3B 31

n/a Charlie Jaeger Detroit Tigers P 30

n/a Frank McManus Detroit Tigers C 29

n/a Jesse Stovall Detroit Tigers P 29

n/a Monte Beville New York Highlanders 1B 30

n/a Elmer Bliss New York Highlanders OF 30

n/a Ned Garvin New York Highlanders P 31

n/a Frank McManus New York Highlanders C 29

n/a Fred Applegate Philadelphia Athletics P 26

n/a John Barthold Philadelphia Athletics P 23

n/a Lou Bruce Philadelphia Athletics OF 28

n/a Jim Fairbank Philadelphia Athletics P 24

n/a Art Bader St. Louis Browns OF 18

n/a Gene DeMontreville St. Louis Browns 2B 32

n/a Pat Hynes St. Louis Browns OF 21

n/a Pinky Swander St. Louis Browns PH 24

n/a Harry Vahrenhorst St. Louis Browns PH 20

n/a Gene Wright St. Louis Browns P 26

n/a Davey Dunkle Washington Senators P 32

n/a Lefty Herring Washington Senators 1B 25

n/a Barry McCormick Washington Senators 2B 30

n/a Highball Wilson Washington Senators P 26

# Name Team Pos Age

1904 American League Retirements

Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1904 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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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