1911 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 1911.

"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
 

National League Retirements

1911

n/a Billy Burke Boston Rustlers P 22
n/a Josh Clarke Boston Rustlers OF 33
n/a Cecil Ferguson Boston Rustlers P 28
n/a Patsy Flaherty Boston Rustlers OF 35
n/a Sam Frock Boston Rustlers P 29
n/a Scotty Ingerton Boston Rustlers 3B 26
n/a Jiggs Parson Boston Rustlers P 26
n/a Big Jeff Pfeffer Boston Rustlers P 30
n/a Harry Steinfeldt Boston Rustlers 3B 34
n/a Fred Tenney Boston Rustlers 1B 40
n/a Fuller Thompson Boston Rustlers P 23
n/a Orlie Weaver Boston Rustlers P 25
n/a Bert Weeden Boston Rustlers PH 29
n/a Cy Young Boston Rustlers P 45
n/a Herman Young Boston Rustlers 3B 26
n/a George Bell Brooklyn Dodgers P 37
n/a Bill Bergen Brooklyn Dodgers C 33
n/a Al Burch Brooklyn Dodgers OF 28
n/a Bill Dahlen Brooklyn Dodgers SS 42
n/a Bill Davidson Brooklyn Dodgers OF 28
n/a Al Humphrey Brooklyn Dodgers OF 26
n/a Pryor McElveen Brooklyn Dodgers 2B 30
n/a Walt Miller Brooklyn Dodgers P 28
n/a Jack Ryan Brooklyn Dodgers P 27
n/a Doc Scanlan Brooklyn Dodgers P 31
n/a Tony Smith Brooklyn Dodgers SS 28
n/a Elmer Steele Brooklyn Dodgers P 26
n/a Eddie Zimmerman Brooklyn Dodgers 3B 29
n/a Kitty Bransfield Chicago Cubs 1B 37
n/a Jim Doyle Chicago Cubs 3B 30
n/a Bill Foxen Chicago Cubs P 33
n/a Ernie Ovitz Chicago Cubs P 26
n/a Jack Pfiester Chicago Cubs P 34
n/a Reggie Richter Chicago Cubs P 23
n/a Orlie Weaver Chicago Cubs P 25
n/a Dave Altizer Cincinnati Reds SS 35
n/a Ray Boyd Cincinnati Reds P 25
n/a Jack Compton Cincinnati Reds P 30
n/a Herb Juul Cincinnati Reds P 26
n/a Danny Mahoney Cincinnati Reds PR 23
n/a Barney Schreiber Cincinnati Reds P 30
n/a Jesse Tannehill Cincinnati Reds P 37
n/a Charlie Faust New York Giants P 31
n/a Bugs Raymond New York Giants P 30
n/a Admiral Schlei New York Giants PH 34
n/a Kitty Bransfield Philadelphia Phillies 1B 37
n/a Bert Hall Philadelphia Phillies P 22
n/a Red Kleinow Philadelphia Phillies C 34
n/a Clarence Lehr Philadelphia Phillies OF 26
n/a Bunny Madden Philadelphia Phillies C 29
n/a Paddy Mayes Philadelphia Phillies OF 27
n/a Troy Puckett Philadelphia Phillies P 22
n/a John Quinn Philadelphia Phillies C 26
n/a Jake Smith Philadelphia Phillies P 24
n/a Buck Stanley Philadelphia Phillies P 22
n/a Roy Thomas Philadelphia Phillies OF 38
n/a Harry Welchonce Philadelphia Phillies OF 28
n/a Jerry Dorsey Pittsburgh Pirates OF 27
n/a Newt Hunter Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 32
n/a Bill Keen Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 19
n/a Judge Nagle Pittsburgh Pirates P 32
n/a Deacon Phillippe Pittsburgh Pirates P 40
n/a Elmer Steele Pittsburgh Pirates P 26
n/a Kirby White Pittsburgh Pirates P 28
n/a Harry Camnitz St. Louis Cardinals P 27
n/a Ed Conwell St. Louis Cardinals 3B 22
n/a Roy Golden St. Louis Cardinals P 23
n/a Jack McAdams St. Louis Cardinals P 25
n/a Dan McGeehan St. Louis Cardinals 2B 26
n/a Otto McIvor St. Louis Cardinals OF 27
n/a Hap Morse St. Louis Cardinals SS 25
n/a Roy Radebaugh St. Louis Cardinals P 31
n/a Jack Reis St. Louis Cardinals P 20
n/a Ed Zmich St. Louis Cardinals P 27
1911 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1911 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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.