1923 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 1923.

"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

1923

n/a Jess Cortazzo Chicago White Sox PH 19
n/a Clay Roe Washington Senators P 20
n/a Lou Rosenberg Chicago White Sox 2B 20
n/a Fred Schemanske Washington Senators P 21
n/a Slim Embrey Chicago White Sox P 22
n/a Johnson Fry Cleveland Indians P 22
n/a Jackie Gallagher Cleveland Indians OF 22
n/a Monroe Mitchell Washington Senators P 22
n/a Squire Potter Washington Senators P 22
n/a John Happenny Chicago White Sox 2B 23
n/a Doc Ozmer Philadelphia Athletics P 23
n/a Red Proctor Chicago White Sox P 23
n/a Heinie Scheer Philadelphia Athletics 2B 23
n/a Leo Taylor Chicago White Sox PR 23
n/a Claral Gillenwater Chicago White Sox P 24
n/a Ren Kelly Philadelphia Athletics P 24
n/a Chuck Rowland Philadelphia Athletics C 24
n/a Doc Wood Philadelphia Athletics SS 24
n/a Bill Conroy Washington Senators 3B 25
n/a Hinkey Haines New York Yankees OF 25
n/a Roy Moore Detroit Tigers P 25
n/a Duke Sedgwick Washington Senators P 25
n/a Bill Whaley St. Louis Browns OF 25
n/a Phil Bedgood Cleveland Indians P 26
n/a Charlie Dorman Chicago White Sox C 26
n/a Skipper Friday Washington Senators P 26
n/a Hank Hulvey Philadelphia Athletics P 26
n/a Camp Skinner Boston Red Sox OF 26
n/a Rip Wade Washington Senators OF 26
n/a George Winn Cleveland Indians P 26
n/a Paul Castner Chicago White Sox P 27
n/a Dick Reichle Boston Red Sox OF 27
n/a Roxy Snipes Chicago White Sox PH 27
n/a Chuck Wolfe Philadelphia Athletics P 27
n/a Rasty Wright St. Louis Browns P 28
n/a Dan Boone Cleveland Indians P 29
n/a Roy Graham Chicago White Sox C 29
n/a Lou Guisto Cleveland Indians 1B 29
n/a Mike Menosky Boston Red Sox OF 29
n/a Bobby Murray Washington Senators 3B 29
n/a Ole Olsen Detroit Tigers P 29
n/a Jake Propst Washington Senators PH 29
n/a Jim Riley Washington Senators 1B 29
n/a Carl Stimson Boston Red Sox P 29
n/a John Donahue Boston Red Sox OF 30
n/a Walt Kinney Philadelphia Athletics P 30
n/a Jim Sullivan Cleveland Indians P 30
n/a Frank Woodward Chicago White Sox P 30
n/a Josh Billings St. Louis Browns C 31
n/a Frank Fuller Boston Red Sox 2B 31
n/a Harry O'Neill Philadelphia Athletics P 31
n/a Jim O'Neill Washington Senators 2B 31
n/a Cy Warmoth Washington Senators P 31
n/a Dave Black Boston Red Sox P 32
n/a Pete Lapan Washington Senators PH 32
n/a Dutch Schliebner St. Louis Browns 1B 33
n/a Donie Bush Washington Senators 3B 36
n/a George Cutshaw Detroit Tigers 2B 36
n/a Tilly Walker Philadelphia Athletics OF 36
n/a Eddie Foster St. Louis Browns 2B 37
n/a Fred Carisch Detroit Tigers C 42
1923 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1923 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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).

Did you know that future hall of fame pitcher Walter Johnson ended his Major League career in 1927 with a pinch-hit appearance? During the final game of the season pitcher Tom Zachary, who had just given up Babe Ruth's sixtieth home run of the season, was lifted and Johnson replaced him at the plate.