1930 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 1930.

"I want to hit a routine grounder to second and run all out to first base, then get thrown out by a half step. I want to leave an example to the young guys that that's how you play the game, all out." - George Brett
 

American League Retirements

1930

n/a Bill Barrett Boston Red Sox OF 31
n/a Bill Bayne Boston Red Sox P 32
n/a Frank Bushey Boston Red Sox P 24
n/a Cedric Durst Boston Red Sox OF 34
n/a Jim Galvin Boston Red Sox PH 23
n/a Frank Mulroney Boston Red Sox P 28
n/a Bill Narleski Boston Red Sox SS 31
n/a Charlie Small Boston Red Sox OF 25
n/a George Smith Boston Red Sox P 29
n/a Chick Autry Chicago White Sox C 28
n/a Red Barnes Chicago White Sox OF 26
n/a Ted Blankenship Chicago White Sox P 30
n/a Buck Crouse Chicago White Sox C 34
n/a Dutch Henry Chicago White Sox P 29
n/a Joe Klinger Chicago White Sox C 28
n/a Alex Metzler Chicago White Sox OF 28
n/a Ernie Smith Chicago White Sox SS 31
- Les Barnhart Cleveland Indians P 26
49 Ray Gardner Cleveland Indians SS 29
24 Sal Gliatto Cleveland Indians P 29
21 Ken Holloway Cleveland Indians P 33
7 Carl Lind Cleveland Indians SS 27
n/a Guy Cantrell Detroit Tigers P 27
n/a Tom Hughes Detroit Tigers OF 23
n/a Joe Samuels Detroit Tigers P 26
n/a Johnny Watson Detroit Tigers SS 23
n/a Hughie Wise Detroit Tigers C 25
n/a Yats Wuestling Detroit Tigers SS 27
32 Frank Barnes New York Yankees P 31
27 Cedric Durst New York Yankees OF 34
34 Foster Edwards New York Yankees P 27
9 Bubbles Hargrave New York Yankees C 38
18 Bill Henderson New York Yankees P 29
32 Ken Holloway New York Yankees P 33
32 Bill Karlon New York Yankees OF 22
2 Yats Wuestling New York Yankees SS 27
n/a Eddie Collins Philadelphia Athletics PH 44
n/a Howard Ehmke Philadelphia Athletics P 37
n/a Spencer Harris Philadelphia Athletics OF 30
n/a Jim Keesey Philadelphia Athletics 1B 28
n/a Al Mahon Philadelphia Athletics P 21
n/a Homer Summa Philadelphia Athletics OF 32
n/a Red Badgro St. Louis Browns OF 28
n/a Sammy Hale St. Louis Browns 3B 34
n/a Joe Hassler St. Louis Browns SS 26
n/a Herm Holshouser St. Louis Browns P 24
n/a Bernie Hungling St. Louis Browns C 35
n/a Alex Metzler St. Louis Browns OF 28
n/a Red Barnes Washington Senators PH 26
n/a Bill Barrett Washington Senators OF 31
n/a Harry Child Washington Senators P 26
n/a Patsy Gharrity Washington Senators 1B 39
n/a George Loepp Washington Senators OF 29
n/a Carlos Moore Washington Senators P 24
n/a Myles Thomas Washington Senators P 33
n/a Ray Treadaway Washington Senators 3B 23
1930 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1930 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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).