1921 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 1921.

"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

1921

n/a Bill Bishop Philadelphia Athletics P 21
n/a Dot Fulghum Philadelphia Athletics SS 21
n/a Herm Merritt Detroit Tigers SS 21
n/a Lefty Wolf Philadelphia Athletics P 21
n/a Sam Barnes Detroit Tigers 2B 22
n/a Rusty Pence Chicago White Sox P 22
n/a Bernie Henderson Cleveland Indians P 23
n/a Ralph Miller Washington Senators P 23
n/a Bob Clark Cleveland Indians P 24
n/a Tom Connelly New York Yankees OF 24
n/a Hod Fenner Chicago White Sox P 24
n/a George Foss Washington Senators 3B 24
n/a Harvey Freeman Philadelphia Athletics P 24
n/a Nemo Gaines Washington Senators P 24
n/a Vance McIlree Washington Senators P 24
n/a John Perrin Boston Red Sox OF 24
n/a Frank Pratt Chicago White Sox PH 24
n/a Lee Thompson Chicago White Sox P 24
n/a Cy Twombly Chicago White Sox P 24
n/a Joe DeBerry St. Louis Browns P 25
n/a Ivy Griffin Philadelphia Athletics 1B 25
n/a Paul Johnson Philadelphia Athletics OF 25
n/a Ray Miner Philadelphia Athletics P 25
n/a Ray Richmond St. Louis Browns P 25
n/a Johnny Walker Philadelphia Athletics 1B 25
n/a Red Ostergard Chicago White Sox PH 26
n/a Slicker Parks Detroit Tigers P 26
n/a Arlas Taylor Philadelphia Athletics P 26
n/a Charlie Blackburn Chicago White Sox P 27
n/a George Cunningham Detroit Tigers OF 27
n/a Billy Gleason St. Louis Browns 2B 27
n/a Lyman Lamb St. Louis Browns 3B 27
n/a George Lees Chicago White Sox C 27
n/a Ernie Neitzke Boston Red Sox OF 27
n/a Sammy Vick Boston Red Sox OF 27
n/a Jim Walsh Detroit Tigers P 27
n/a Ben Mallonee Philadelphia Athletics OF 28
n/a John Michaelson Chicago White Sox P 28
n/a Dominic Mulrenan Chicago White Sox P 28
n/a Joe Sargent Detroit Tigers 2B 28
n/a Jim Shaw Washington Senators P 28
n/a Suds Sutherland Detroit Tigers P 28
n/a Dutch Wetzel St. Louis Browns OF 28
n/a Jack Wieneke Chicago White Sox P 28
n/a Hob Hiller Boston Red Sox PH 29
n/a Elmer Leifer Chicago White Sox 3B 29
n/a Braggo Roth New York Yankees OF 29
n/a Al Schacht Washington Senators P 29
n/a Bernie Boland St. Louis Browns P 30
n/a Zip Collins Philadelphia Athletics OF 30
n/a Bugs Morris Chicago White Sox P 30
n/a Bugs Morris St. Louis Browns P 30
n/a Pol Perritt Detroit Tigers P 30
n/a Tom Rogers New York Yankees P 30
n/a Luke Stuart St. Louis Browns 2B 30
n/a Doc Ayers Detroit Tigers P 31
n/a Tony Brottem Washington Senators C 31
n/a Tim Hendryx Boston Red Sox OF 31
n/a Scott Perry Philadelphia Athletics P 31
n/a Red Bird Washington Senators P 32
n/a Ossie Vitt Boston Red Sox 3B 32
n/a Jim Middleton Detroit Tigers P 33
n/a Ping Bodie New York Yankees OF 34
n/a Ray Caldwell Cleveland Indians P 34
n/a Nick Cullop St. Louis Browns P 34
n/a Duffy Lewis Washington Senators OF 34
n/a Pinch Thomas Cleveland Indians C 34
n/a Art Wilson Cleveland Indians C 36
1921 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1921 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.