1908 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 1908.

"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
 

National League Retirements

1908

n/a Jim Ball Boston Doves C 25
n/a Jack Hannifin Boston Doves 3B 26
n/a Joe Kelley Boston Doves OF 37
n/a Charlie Maloney Boston Doves P 23
n/a Dan McGann Boston Doves 1B 37
n/a Walt Thomas Boston Doves SS 25
n/a Harley Young Boston Doves P 25
n/a Alex Farmer Brooklyn Superbas C 32
n/a Jim Holmes Brooklyn Superbas P 26
n/a Abe Kruger Brooklyn Superbas P 24
n/a Phil Lewis Brooklyn Superbas SS 25
n/a Billy Maloney Brooklyn Superbas OF 30
n/a Simmy Murch Brooklyn Superbas 1B 28
n/a Harry Pattee Brooklyn Superbas 2B 27
n/a Lew Ritter Brooklyn Superbas C 33
n/a Tommy Sheehan Brooklyn Superbas 3B 31
n/a Jack Hayden Chicago Cubs OF 28
n/a Bill Mack Chicago Cubs P 24
n/a Jimmy Slagle Chicago Cubs OF 35
n/a Carl Spongberg Chicago Cubs P 25
n/a Dick Bayless Cincinnati Reds OF 25
n/a Dave Brain Cincinnati Reds OF 30
n/a Jack Doscher Cincinnati Reds P 28
n/a John Ganzel Cincinnati Reds 1B 35
n/a Bill McGilvray Cincinnati Reds PH 26
n/a Bert Sincock Cincinnati Reds P 21
n/a Bill Tozer Cincinnati Reds P 26
n/a Jake Volz Cincinnati Reds P 31
n/a Shad Barry New York Giants OF 30
n/a Roy Beecher New York Giants P 25
n/a Dave Brain New York Giants 2B 30
n/a Jack Hannifin New York Giants OF 26
n/a Bill Malarkey New York Giants P 30
n/a Joe McGinnity New York Giants P 38
n/a Spike Shannon New York Giants OF 31
n/a Sammy Strang New York Giants 2B 32
n/a Dummy Taylor New York Giants P 34
n/a Ernie Courtney Philadelphia Phillies 3B 34
n/a Charlie Johnson Philadelphia Phillies OF 24
n/a Warren Gill Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 30
n/a Homer Hillebrand Pittsburgh Pirates P 29
n/a Jim Kane Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 27
n/a Cy Neighbors Pittsburgh Pirates OF 28
n/a Spike Shannon Pittsburgh Pirates OF 31
n/a Hunky Shaw Pittsburgh Pirates PH 24
n/a John Sullivan Pittsburgh Pirates C 36
n/a Bob Vail Pittsburgh Pirates P 27
n/a Harley Young Pittsburgh Pirates P 25
n/a O.F. Baldwin St. Louis Cardinals P 27
n/a Shad Barry St. Louis Cardinals OF 30
n/a Fred Gaiser St. Louis Cardinals P 23
n/a Art Hoelskoetter St. Louis Cardinals C 26
n/a Bill Ludwig St. Louis Cardinals C 27
n/a Stoney McGlynn St. Louis Cardinals P 37
n/a Ralph McLaurin St. Louis Cardinals OF 24
n/a Charlie Moran St. Louis Cardinals C 31
n/a Walter Morris St. Louis Cardinals SS 29
n/a Wilbur Murdoch St. Louis Cardinals OF 34
n/a Patsy O'Rourke St. Louis Cardinals SS 28
1908 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1908 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.

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).