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 are George Brett and all the cheering has stopped. The music is muted, the hour is late, and they will be taking the banners down and emptying your locker any minute now. As the late Jimmy Cannon would say it, 'All your bats are broken.'" - Broadcaster Jim Murray
 

American League Retirements

1923

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

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.

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.