1918 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 1918.

"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

1918

n/a Jay Kirke New York Giants 1B 30
n/a Ben Shaw Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 25
n/a Mickey Doolin Brooklyn Robins 2B 39
n/a Bert Niehoff New York Giants 2B 35
n/a Bert Niehoff St. Louis Cardinals 2B 35
n/a Jake Pitler Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 25
n/a Jose Rodriguez New York Giants 2B 25
n/a Rollie Zeider Chicago Cubs 2B 35
n/a Ed Hemingway Philadelphia Phillies 2B 26
n/a Patsy McGaffigan Philadelphia Phillies 2B 30
n/a Rip Conway Boston Braves 2B 23
n/a Chuck Wortman Chicago Cubs 2B 27
n/a Bobby Wallace St. Louis Cardinals 2B 45
n/a Dutch Distel St. Louis Cardinals 2B 23
n/a Gus Getz Pittsburgh Pirates 3B 29
n/a Bruno Betzel St. Louis Cardinals 3B 24
n/a Jimmy Archer Brooklyn Robins C 36
n/a Ed Burns Philadelphia Phillies C 31
n/a Tommy Clarke Chicago Cubs C 31
n/a George Gibson New York Giants C 38
n/a John Henry Boston Braves C 29
n/a Red Smith Pittsburgh Pirates C 27
n/a Bill Wagner Boston Braves C 25
n/a Jimmy Archer Pittsburgh Pirates C 36
n/a John Brock St. Louis Cardinals C 22
n/a Jimmy Archer Cincinnati Reds C 36
n/a Harry Smith Cincinnati Reds C 29
n/a Fred Bailey Boston Braves PH 23
n/a Doc Bass Boston Braves PH 20
n/a Sam Covington Boston Braves PH 24
n/a George Anderson St. Louis Cardinals OF 29
n/a Al Bashang Brooklyn Robins OF 30
n/a Johnny Beall St. Louis Cardinals OF 37
n/a Chet Chadbourne Boston Braves OF 34
n/a Pete Compton New York Giants OF 29
n/a Justin Fitzgerald Philadelphia Phillies OF 27
n/a Jim Kelly Boston Braves OF 35
n/a Wally Mattick St. Louis Cardinals OF 32
n/a Ted Menze St. Louis Cardinals OF 21
n/a Ty Pickup Philadelphia Phillies OF 21
n/a Dick Wheeler St. Louis Cardinals OF 21
n/a Roy Massey Boston Braves OF 28
n/a Tommy Leach Pittsburgh Pirates OF 41
n/a Marty Kavanagh St. Louis Cardinals OF 27
n/a Red Smyth St. Louis Cardinals OF 26
n/a Fred Anderson New York Giants P 33
n/a Hugh Canavan Boston Braves P 22
n/a Ralph Comstock Pittsburgh Pirates P 28
n/a Snipe Conley Cincinnati Reds P 27
n/a Cal Crum Boston Braves P 29
n/a Rich Durning Brooklyn Robins P 26
n/a Lefty George Boston Braves P 32
n/a Dan Griner Brooklyn Robins P 31
n/a Bob Harmon Pittsburgh Pirates P 31
n/a Jake Hehl Brooklyn Robins P 19
n/a Harry Heitmann Brooklyn Robins P 22
n/a Marty Herrmann Brooklyn Robins P 26
n/a Earl Howard St. Louis Cardinals P 25
n/a Tom Hughes Boston Braves P 35
n/a Larry Jacobus Cincinnati Reds P 24
n/a Rankin Johnson St. Louis Cardinals P 31
n/a Alex Main Philadelphia Phillies P 35
n/a George Ross New York Giants P 26
n/a Roy Sanders Pittsburgh Pirates P 26
n/a Cy Slapnicka Pittsburgh Pirates P 33
n/a Jeff Tesreau New York Giants P 31
n/a Bill Upham Boston Braves P 31
n/a Doc Crandall Boston Braves P 31
n/a Roy Ellam Pittsburgh Pirates SS 33
n/a Bob Larmore St. Louis Cardinals SS 22
n/a Lute Boone Pittsburgh Pirates SS 29
1918 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1918 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).