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'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

1930

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

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.

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.