Baseball Almanac - 1931 American League Retirements

1931 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 1931.

"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
1931

# Name Team Pos Age

27 Bill McWilliams Boston Red Sox PH 21

19 Sol Carter Philadelphia Athletics P 23

- Hank Garrity Chicago White Sox C 24

29 Walter Murphy Boston Red Sox P 24

28 Orlin Collier Detroit Tigers P 25

32 George DeTore Cleveland Indians 3B 25

7 Jonah Goldman Cleveland Indians SS 25

16 Gene Rye Boston Red Sox OF 25

15 Roy Sherid New York Yankees P 25

9 John Smith Boston Red Sox 1B 25

21 Buck Stanton St. Louis Browns OF 25

25 Biggs Wehde Chicago White Sox P 25

8 Pat Creeden Boston Red Sox 2B 26

25 Lou Garland Chicago White Sox P 26

- George Quellich Detroit Tigers OF 26

25 Frank Waddey St. Louis Browns OF 26

2 Bobby Reeves Boston Red Sox 2B 27

1 Bill Sweeney Boston Red Sox 1B 27

27 Jim Brillheart Boston Red Sox P 28

34 Ike Eichrodt Chicago White Sox OF 29

7 Ollie Marquardt Boston Red Sox 2B 29

25 Jimmy Moore Philadelphia Athletics OF 29

21 Joe Palmisano Philadelphia Athletics C 29

19 Charlie Sullivan Detroit Tigers P 29

9 Russ Young St. Louis Browns C 29

34 Lou McEvoy New York Yankees P 30

20 Fred Stiely St. Louis Browns P 30

21 Walt Tauscher Washington Senators P 30

24 Phil Todt Philadelphia Athletics 1B 30

19 Lefty Weinert New York Yankees P 30

7 Louis Brower Detroit Tigers SS 31

35 Johnny Grabowski Detroit Tigers C 32

23 Ed Morris Boston Red Sox P 32

29 Bibb Falk Cleveland Indians OF 33

35 Bill Hunnefield Cleveland Indians SS 33

20 Jess Doyle St. Louis Browns P 34

22 Earl McNeely St. Louis Browns OF 34

25 Joe Dugan Detroit Tigers 3B 35

34 Bucky Harris Detroit Tigers 2B 35

18 Rip Collins St. Louis Browns P 36

12 Butch Henline Chicago White Sox C 37

21 Frank O'Rourke St. Louis Browns SS 38

8 Wally Schang Detroit Tigers C 42

# Name Team Pos Age

1931 American League Retirements

Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1931 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).

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.

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