1919 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 1919.

"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

1919

n/a Dixie Carroll Boston Braves OF 29
n/a Larry Cheney Boston Braves P 34
n/a Al Demaree Boston Braves P 35
n/a Bill James Boston Braves P 28
n/a Ray Keating Boston Braves P 26
n/a Joe Kelly Boston Braves OF 33
n/a Lee King Boston Braves PH 26
n/a Tom Miller Boston Braves PH 22
n/a Jake Northrop Boston Braves P 32
n/a Dizzy Nutter Boston Braves OF 26
n/a Joe Riggert Boston Braves OF 33
n/a Red Smith Boston Braves OF 30
n/a Jim Thorpe Boston Braves OF 33
n/a Sam White Boston Braves C 26
n/a Horace Allen Brooklyn Robins OF 20
n/a Larry Cheney Brooklyn Robins P 34
n/a Tom Fitzsimmons Brooklyn Robins 3B 30
n/a Lafayette Henion Brooklyn Robins P 20
n/a Jim Hickman Brooklyn Robins OF 28
n/a Lee Magee Brooklyn Robins 2B 30
n/a Lew Malone Brooklyn Robins 3B 23
n/a Ollie O'Mara Brooklyn Robins 3B 29
n/a Lee Magee Chicago Cubs OF 30
n/a Hal Reilly Chicago Cubs OF 26
n/a Harry Weaver Chicago Cubs P 28
n/a Manuel Cueto Cincinnati Reds OF 28
n/a Ed Gerner Cincinnati Reds P 22
n/a Sherry Magee Cincinnati Reds OF 35
n/a Roy Mitchell Cincinnati Reds P 35
n/a Mike Regan Cincinnati Reds P 31
n/a Wally Rehg Cincinnati Reds OF 31
n/a Al Baird New York Giants 2B 24
n/a Chick Bowen New York Giants OF 22
n/a Hal Chase New York Giants 1B 37
n/a Jean Dubuc New York Giants P 31
n/a Colonel Snover New York Giants P 25
n/a Bob Steele New York Giants P 26
n/a Jim Thorpe New York Giants OF 33
n/a Heinie Zimmerman New York Giants 3B 33
n/a Bert Adams Philadelphia Phillies C 28
n/a Red Ames Philadelphia Phillies P 37
n/a Hick Cady Philadelphia Phillies C 34
n/a Leo Callahan Philadelphia Phillies OF 29
n/a John Cavanaugh Philadelphia Phillies 3B 19
n/a Larry Cheney Philadelphia Phillies P 34
n/a Rags Faircloth Philadelphia Phillies P 27
n/a Brad Hogg Philadelphia Phillies P 31
n/a Pat Murray Philadelphia Phillies P 22
n/a Gene Packard Philadelphia Phillies P 32
n/a Mike Pasquella Philadelphia Phillies 1B 21
n/a Harry Pearce Philadelphia Phillies 2B 30
n/a Mike Prendergast Philadelphia Phillies P 31
n/a Lou Raymond Philadelphia Phillies 2B 25
n/a Doc Wallace Philadelphia Phillies SS 26
n/a Milt Watson Philadelphia Phillies P 30
n/a Bert Yeabsley Philadelphia Phillies PH 26
n/a Fred Blackwell Pittsburgh Pirates C 28
n/a Bill Evans Pittsburgh Pirates P 27
n/a Erskine Mayer Pittsburgh Pirates P 30
n/a Fritz Mollwitz Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 29
n/a Vic Saier Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 29
n/a Ed Sweeney Pittsburgh Pirates C 31
n/a Red Ames St. Louis Cardinals P 37
n/a Bill Bolden St. Louis Cardinals P 27
n/a Sam Fishburn St. Louis Cardinals 1B 27
n/a Bob Fisher St. Louis Cardinals 2B 33
n/a Oscar Horstmann St. Louis Cardinals P 28
n/a Will Koenigsmark St. Louis Cardinals P 24
n/a Fritz Mollwitz St. Louis Cardinals 1B 29
n/a Roy Parker St. Louis Cardinals P 24
n/a Mike Pasquella St. Louis Cardinals PH 21
1919 National League Retirements



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

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.

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).