1933 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 1933.

"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

1933

15 Dale Alexander Boston Red Sox 1B 31
7 Harley Boss Cleveland Indians 1B 25
1 Lew Fonseca Chicago White Sox 1B 35
14 Marv Olson Boston Red Sox 2B 27
5 Johnny Hodapp Boston Red Sox 2B 28
12 Hal Rhyne Chicago White Sox 2B 35
6 Bernie Friberg Boston Red Sox 2B 34
21 Joe Sewell New York Yankees 3B 35
24 Lin Storti St. Louis Browns 3B 27
25 Jack Crouch St. Louis Browns C 30
8 Johnny Gooch Boston Red Sox C 36
27 Nick Altrock Washington Senators PH 57
- Mem Lovett Chicago White Sox PH 21
13 Bob Fothergill Boston Red Sox OF 36
8 Liz Funk Chicago White Sox OF 29
4 Smead Jolley Boston Red Sox OF 32
12 Tom Oliver Boston Red Sox OF 31
29 Johnny Oulliber Cleveland Indians OF 23
27 Mike Powers Cleveland Indians OF 28
5 Billy Rhiel Detroit Tigers OF 33
17 John Stoneham Chicago White Sox OF 25
4 Earl Webb Detroit Tigers OF 36
- Joe Zapustas Philadelphia Athletics OF 26
34 Earl Webb Chicago White Sox OF 36
26 Ted Gullic St. Louis Browns OF 27
- Garland Braxton St. Louis Browns P 33
26 John Campbell Washington Senators P 26
19 Ed Chapman Washington Senators P 28
14 Gowell Claset Philadelphia Athletics P 26
21 Howard Craghead Cleveland Indians P 26
17 Ed Durham Chicago White Sox P 26
18 Red Faber Chicago White Sox P 45
14 Curt Fullerton Boston Red Sox P 35
15 Sam Gray St. Louis Browns P 36
24 Paul Gregory Chicago White Sox P 25
24 Hal Haid Chicago White Sox P 36
21 Hank McDonald Philadelphia Athletics P 23
30 Hank McDonald St. Louis Browns P 23
21 Jud McLaughlin Boston Red Sox P 22
38 Jake Miller Chicago White Sox P 36
16 Wilcy Moore New York Yankees P 37
35 George Murray Chicago White Sox P 35
8 Bots Nekola Detroit Tigers P 27
- Emil Roy Philadelphia Athletics P 27
22 Rollie Stiles St. Louis Browns P 27
2 Greg Mulleavy Boston Red Sox PR 28
1 Jim Levey St. Louis Browns SS 27
24 Ed Cihocki Philadelphia Athletics SS 27
1933 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1933 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.

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.