1919 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 1919.

"You start chasing a ball and your brain immediately commands your body to: Run forward. Bend. Scoop up the ball. Peg it to the infield. Then your body says, 'Who, me?'" - Retirement comment made by Joe DiMaggio
 

American League Retirements

1919

n/a Frank Kelliher Washington Senators PH 21
n/a Frank Shellenback Chicago White Sox P 21
n/a Walter Anderson Philadelphia Athletics P 22
n/a Bill Grevell Philadelphia Athletics P 22
n/a Claude Davidson Washington Senators 3B 23
n/a Danny Silva Washington Senators 3B 23
n/a Molly Craft Washington Senators P 24
n/a George Dumont Boston Red Sox P 24
n/a Ed Gill Washington Senators P 24
n/a Ray Roberts Philadelphia Athletics P 24
n/a Joe Schepner St. Louis Browns 3B 24
n/a Pete Schneider New York Yankees P 24
n/a Bob Allen Philadelphia Athletics OF 25
n/a Jesse Baker Washington Senators SS 25
n/a George Halas New York Yankees OF 25
n/a Frank Kane New York Yankees PH 25
n/a Wickey McAvoy Philadelphia Athletics C 25
n/a Buzz Murphy Washington Senators OF 25
n/a Art Ewoldt Philadelphia Athletics 3B 26
n/a Luke Nelson New York Yankees P 26
n/a John Sullivan Chicago White Sox P 26
n/a Charlie Whitehouse Washington Senators P 26
n/a Ben Dyer Detroit Tigers 3B 27
n/a Frank Gilhooley Boston Red Sox OF 27
n/a Ernie Koob St. Louis Browns P 27
n/a Norm McNeil Boston Red Sox C 27
n/a Walt Smallwood New York Yankees P 27
n/a George Twombly Washington Senators OF 27
n/a Archie Yelle Detroit Tigers C 27
n/a Roy Grover Philadelphia Athletics 2B 28
n/a Roy Grover Washington Senators 2B 28
n/a Ed Hovlik Washington Senators P 28
n/a Merlin Kopp Philadelphia Athletics OF 28
n/a Tom McGuire Chicago White Sox P 28
n/a Dick Robertson Washington Senators P 28
n/a Willie Adams Philadelphia Athletics P 29
n/a Joe Jenkins Chicago White Sox C 29
n/a Wally Mayer St. Louis Browns C 29
n/a Tod Sloan St. Louis Browns OF 29
n/a Dave Davenport St. Louis Browns P 30
n/a Rip Jordan Washington Senators P 30
n/a Rolla Mapel St. Louis Browns P 30
n/a Erskine Mayer Chicago White Sox P 30
n/a Willie Mitchell Detroit Tigers P 30
n/a Paul Musser Boston Red Sox P 30
n/a Win Noyes Chicago White Sox P 30
n/a Win Noyes Philadelphia Athletics P 30
n/a Harry Thompson Philadelphia Athletics P 30
n/a Harry Thompson Washington Senators P 30
n/a Chick Gandil Chicago White Sox 1B 32
n/a Ed Klepfer Cleveland Indians P 32
n/a Al Wickland New York Yankees OF 32
n/a Sam Agnew Washington Senators C 33
n/a Jack Barry Boston Red Sox 2B 33
n/a Bill James Boston Red Sox P 33
n/a Bill James Chicago White Sox P 33
n/a Bill James Detroit Tigers P 33
n/a Joe Benz Chicago White Sox P 34
n/a Hi Jasper Cleveland Indians P 34
n/a Joe Wilhoit Boston Red Sox OF 34
n/a Ray Demmitt St. Louis Browns OF 36
n/a Lew Groh Philadelphia Athletics 3B 36
n/a Dave Shean Boston Red Sox 2B 36
n/a Terry Turner Philadelphia Athletics SS 39
1919 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1919 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

Hank Aaron ended his Major League career on October 3, 1976, with a sharp single during the sixth inning off Dave Roberts of the Detroit Tigers.

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.