1937 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 1937.

"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

1937

32 Stew Bowers Boston Red Sox PR 23
21, 25 Bob Daughters Boston Red Sox PR 23
19, 35 Joe Gonzales Boston Red Sox P 23
24 Ski Melillo Boston Red Sox 2B 38
32 Tommy Thomas Boston Red Sox P 38
15 Rube Walberg Boston Red Sox P 41
47 Italo Chelini Chicago White Sox P 23
2 Hugh Alexander Cleveland Indians OF 20
10 Joe Becker Cleveland Indians C 29
29 Carl Fischer Cleveland Indians P 32
- Bill Sodd Cleveland Indians PH 23
- Flea Clifton Detroit Tigers 3B 29
3 Mickey Cochrane Detroit Tigers C 35
21 Clyde Hatter Detroit Tigers P 29
18 Vic Sorrell Detroit Tigers P 37
23, 28, 34 Frank Makosky New York Yankees P 28
21 Pat Malone New York Yankees P 35
26, 41 Fred Archer Philadelphia Athletics P 28
18 Herman Fink Philadelphia Athletics P 26
15 Jesse Hill Philadelphia Athletics OF 31
61 Bill Kalfass Philadelphia Athletics P 22
92 Doyt Morris Philadelphia Athletics OF 21
23 Jack Rothrock Philadelphia Athletics OF 33
24 George Turbeville Philadelphia Athletics P 23
25 Ed Baecht St. Louis Browns P 31
14 Sheriff Blake St. Louis Browns P 38
2 Jim Bottomley St. Louis Browns 1B 38
37 Tom Cafego St. Louis Browns OF 26
27 Harry Davis St. Louis Browns 1B 30
4 Rogers Hornsby St. Louis Browns 2B 42
28 Ben Huffman St. Louis Browns C 23
12, 22 Lou Koupal St. Louis Browns P 39
15 Nig Lipscomb St. Louis Browns 2B 27
25 Bill Miller St. Louis Browns P 28
14 Bill Strickland St. Louis Browns P 30
25 Tommy Thomas St. Louis Browns P 38
14 Syd Cohen Washington Senators P 32
16 Carl Fischer Washington Senators P 32
20 Milt Gray Washington Senators C 24
25 Jesse Hill Washington Senators OF 31
8 Shanty Hogan Washington Senators C 32
- Jerry Lynn Washington Senators 2B 22
24 John Mihalic Washington Senators 2B 26
26, 88 Alex Sabo Washington Senators C 28
- Frank Trechock Washington Senators SS 22
1937 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1937 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.

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.