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.

"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
1931

# Name Team Pos Age

9 John Smith Boston Red Sox 1B 25

1 Bill Sweeney Boston Red Sox 1B 27

24 Phil Todt Philadelphia Athletics 1B 30

8 Pat Creeden Boston Red Sox 2B 26

2 Bobby Reeves Boston Red Sox 2B 27

7 Ollie Marquardt Boston Red Sox 2B 29

34 Bucky Harris Detroit Tigers 2B 35

25 Joe Dugan Detroit Tigers 3B 35

32 George DeTore Cleveland Indians 3B 25

- Hank Garrity Chicago White Sox C 24

35 Johnny Grabowski Detroit Tigers C 32

12 Butch Henline Chicago White Sox C 37

8 Wally Schang Detroit Tigers C 42

9 Russ Young St. Louis Browns C 29

21 Joe Palmisano Philadelphia Athletics C 29

27 Bill McWilliams Boston Red Sox PH 21

34 Ike Eichrodt Chicago White Sox OF 29

29 Bibb Falk Cleveland Indians OF 33

25 Jimmy Moore Philadelphia Athletics OF 29

- George Quellich Detroit Tigers OF 26

16 Gene Rye Boston Red Sox OF 25

21 Buck Stanton St. Louis Browns OF 25

25 Frank Waddey St. Louis Browns OF 26

22 Earl McNeely St. Louis Browns OF 34

27 Jim Brillheart Boston Red Sox P 28

19 Sol Carter Philadelphia Athletics P 23

28 Orlin Collier Detroit Tigers P 25

18 Rip Collins St. Louis Browns P 36

20 Jess Doyle St. Louis Browns P 34

25 Lou Garland Chicago White Sox P 26

34 Lou McEvoy New York Yankees P 30

23 Ed Morris Boston Red Sox P 32

29 Walter Murphy Boston Red Sox P 24

15 Roy Sherid New York Yankees P 25

20 Fred Stiely St. Louis Browns P 30

19 Charlie Sullivan Detroit Tigers P 29

21 Walt Tauscher Washington Senators P 30

25 Biggs Wehde Chicago White Sox P 25

19 Lefty Weinert New York Yankees P 30

7 Jonah Goldman Cleveland Indians SS 25

7 Louis Brower Detroit Tigers SS 31

35 Bill Hunnefield Cleveland Indians SS 33

21 Frank O'Rourke St. Louis Browns SS 38

# 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.

Goose Goslin played for eighteen seasons and averaged one-hundred twenty-seven games played per season. In 1938, during his final at-bat, he twisted his back and was replaced at the plate by a pinch-hitter for the first time in his Major League career.

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).

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