Baseball Almanac - 1920 American League Retirements

1920 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 1920.

"I'll never make the mistake of being seventy (70) again." - Casey Stengel comment made after being told to quit following the 1960 World Series

American League Retirements
1920

# Name Team Pos Age

n/a Ted Jourdan Chicago White Sox 1B 25

n/a Babe Ellison Detroit Tigers 1B 24

n/a Cliff Brady Boston Red Sox 2B 24

n/a Joe Gedeon St. Louis Browns 2B 27

n/a Allie Watt Washington Senators 2B 21

n/a Bill Hollahan Washington Senators 3B 24

n/a Paul Speraw St. Louis Browns 3B 27

n/a Fred Thomas Washington Senators 3B 28

n/a Frank Thompson St. Louis Browns 3B 25

n/a Fred McMullin Chicago White Sox 3B 29

n/a Fred Thomas Philadelphia Athletics 3B 28

n/a Buck Weaver Chicago White Sox 3B 30

n/a Truck Hannah New York Yankees C 31

n/a Byrd Lynn Chicago White Sox C 32

n/a Paddy Smith Boston Red Sox C 27

n/a Ed Wingo Philadelphia Athletics C 25

n/a Elmer Bowman Washington Senators PH 24

n/a Jack Calvo Washington Senators OF 26

n/a Happy Felsch Chicago White Sox OF 29

n/a Frank Gleich New York Yankees OF 27

n/a Charlie High Philadelphia Athletics OF 22

n/a Joe Jackson Chicago White Sox OF 33

n/a Ed Johnson Washington Senators OF 22

n/a George Orme Boston Red Sox OF 29

n/a Earl Pruess St. Louis Browns OF 26

n/a Hack Eibel Boston Red Sox OF 27

n/a Ernie Alten Detroit Tigers P 26

n/a Harry Baumgartner Detroit Tigers P 28

n/a Joe Boehling Cleveland Indians P 30

n/a John Bogart Detroit Tigers P 20

n/a Gus Bono Washington Senators P 26

n/a Leon Carlson Washington Senators P 26

n/a Eddie Cicotte Chicago White Sox P 36

n/a Allen Conkwright Detroit Tigers P 24

n/a Jerry Conway Washington Senators P 19

n/a Jack Coombs Detroit Tigers P 38

n/a Red Cox Detroit Tigers P 26

n/a Hal Deviney Boston Red Sox P 28

n/a George Ellison Cleveland Indians P 24

n/a Joe Engel Washington Senators P 28

n/a Tony Faeth Cleveland Indians P 27

n/a Clarence Fisher Washington Senators P 22

n/a Gary Fortune Boston Red Sox P 26

n/a Cy Fried Detroit Tigers P 23

n/a Bert Gallia St. Louis Browns P 29

n/a John Glaiser Detroit Tigers P 26

n/a Norman Glaser Detroit Tigers P 26

n/a Spencer Heath Chicago White Sox P 27

n/a Bill Knowlton Philadelphia Athletics P 22

n/a Lefty Leifield St. Louis Browns P 37

n/a Hod Leverette St. Louis Browns P 32

n/a Slim Love Detroit Tigers P 30

n/a Grover Lowdermilk Chicago White Sox P 36

n/a Adrian Lynch St. Louis Browns P 24

n/a Pat Martin Philadelphia Athletics P 29

n/a Bill Morrisette Detroit Tigers P 26

n/a Tim Murchison Cleveland Indians P 24

n/a Dick Niehaus Cleveland Indians P 28

n/a Frank Okrie Detroit Tigers P 24

n/a George Payne Chicago White Sox P 32

n/a Roy Sanders St. Louis Browns P 26

n/a John Scheneberg St. Louis Browns P 33

n/a Bill Shanner Philadelphia Athletics P 26

n/a Duke Shirey Washington Senators P 22

n/a Ernie Shore New York Yankees P 30

n/a John Slappey Philadelphia Athletics P 22

n/a Bill Snyder Washington Senators P 23

n/a Lou Vedder Detroit Tigers P 24

n/a Carl Weilman St. Louis Browns P 31

n/a Lefty Williams Chicago White Sox P 28

n/a Mutt Wilson Detroit Tigers P 24

n/a Joe Leonard Washington Senators PR 27

n/a Ray Chapman Cleveland Indians SS 30

n/a Danny Claire Detroit Tigers SS 23

n/a George McBride Washington Senators SS 40

n/a Swede Risberg Chicago White Sox SS 26

n/a John Shovlin St. Louis Browns SS 30

n/a Harry Lunte Cleveland Indians SS 28

# Name Team Pos Age

1920 American League Retirements

Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1920 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

On July 28, 1976, Blue Moon Odom pitched the final five innings of his Major League career. He was relieved by Francisco Barrios in the sixth inning and the two White Sox combined to pitch a 2-1 no-hitter versus the Oakland Athletics.

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.

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