1929 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 1929.

"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

1929

n/a Grady Adkins Chicago White Sox P 32
n/a Jimmy Austin St. Louis Browns 3B 50
n/a Bob Barrett Boston Red Sox 3B 31
n/a Walter Beall Washington Senators P 30
n/a Elliot Bigelow Boston Red Sox OF 32
n/a Josh Billings Detroit Tigers P 22
n/a Lena Blackburne Chicago White Sox P 43
n/a Herb Bradley Boston Red Sox P 27
n/a Otis Brannan St. Louis Browns 2B 31
n/a Bill Breckinridge Philadelphia Athletics P 22
21 George Burns New York Yankees PH 37
n/a George Burns Philadelphia Athletics 1B 37
n/a Jerry Byrne Chicago White Sox P 23
n/a Ed Carroll Boston Red Sox P 22
n/a Herb Cobb St. Louis Browns P 25
n/a Jim Cronin Philadelphia Athletics 2B 24
n/a Ray Dobens Boston Red Sox P 23
n/a Len Dondero St. Louis Browns 3B 26
n/a Dan Dugan Chicago White Sox P 23
n/a Oscar Estrada St. Louis Browns P 26
n/a Walt French Philadelphia Athletics OF 30
n/a Alex Gaston Boston Red Sox C 37
n/a Wally Gerber Boston Red Sox SS 38
n/a Grant Gillis Boston Red Sox 2B 29
n/a Charlie Gooch Washington Senators 1B 27
n/a Skinny Graham Detroit Tigers P 30
57 Joe Hauser Cleveland Indians 1B 31
n/a Dutch Hoffman Chicago White Sox OF 26
n/a Paul Hopkins St. Louis Browns P 25
n/a Paul Hopkins Washington Senators P 25
- Dan Jessee Cleveland Indians PR 29
n/a Doc Land Washington Senators OF 27
n/a Bevo LeBourveau Philadelphia Athletics OF 33
n/a Cloy Mattox Philadelphia Athletics C 27
n/a Paul McCullough Washington Senators P 31
18 Johnny Miljus Cleveland Indians P 34
n/a Rudy Miller Philadelphia Athletics 3B 29
n/a Bud Morse Philadelphia Athletics 2B 25
n/a Johnny Mostil Chicago White Sox OF 33
n/a Ossie Orwoll Philadelphia Athletics P 29
25 Ben Paschal New York Yankees OF 34
n/a Augie Prudhomme Detroit Tigers P 27
n/a Buck Redfern Chicago White Sox 2B 28
n/a Ed Roetz St. Louis Browns SS 24
n/a Jack Ryan Boston Red Sox OF 25
n/a Don Savidge Washington Senators P 21
n/a Pat Simmons Boston Red Sox P 21
n/a Jerry Standaert Boston Red Sox 1B 28
n/a Stuffy Stewart Washington Senators 2B 36
n/a Karl Swanson Chicago White Sox PH 29
1 Jackie Tavener Cleveland Indians SS 32
n/a Elam Vangilder Detroit Tigers P 34
20 Julie Wera New York Yankees 3B 28
n/a Ken Williams Boston Red Sox OF 39
n/a Ed Wineapple Washington Senators P 24
n/a Larry Woodall Detroit Tigers PH 35
n/a Emil Yde Detroit Tigers P 30
21 Jimmy Zinn Cleveland Indians P 35
1929 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1929 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).

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.