Baseball Almanac - 1941 American League Retirements

1941 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 1941.

"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
1941

# Name Team Pos Age

16 Al Flair Boston Red Sox 1B 25

11 Vern Freiburger Cleveland Indians 1B 18

34 Johnny Sturm New York Yankees 1B 26

2 Benny McCoy Philadelphia Athletics 2B 26

1 Buddy Myer Washington Senators 2B 38

6 Odell Hale Boston Red Sox 3B 33

21 Cliff Bolton Washington Senators C 35

6 Frank Grube St. Louis Browns C 37

33 John Leovich Philadelphia Athletics C 24

- Stan Goletz Chicago White Sox PH 24

42 Chet Hajduk Chicago White Sox PH 23

45 Red Howell Cleveland Indians PH 33

34 Soup Campbell Cleveland Indians OF 27

7 Buck Frierson Cleveland Indians OF 24

- Dave Short Chicago White Sox OF 25

23 Beau Bell Cleveland Indians OF 34

18 Red Anderson Washington Senators P 29

30 Johnny Babich Philadelphia Athletics P 29

20 Emil Bildilli St. Louis Browns P 29

- Earl Cook Detroit Tigers P 33

- Harry Dean Washington Senators P 27

16 Emerson Dickman Boston Red Sox P 27

17 Floyd Giebell Detroit Tigers P 32

10 Lefty Grove Boston Red Sox P 42

32 Bump Hadley Philadelphia Athletics P 37

24 Herb Hash Boston Red Sox P 31

15 Rankin Johnson Philadelphia Athletics P 25

- Ronnie Miller Washington Senators P 23

23 Maury Newlin St. Louis Browns P 27

18 Steve Peek New York Yankees P 27

22 Bud Thomas Detroit Tigers P 31

24 Pat Tobin Philadelphia Athletics P 26

29 George Washburn New York Yankees P 27

11 Fred Chapman Philadelphia Athletics SS 25

7 Boyd Perry Detroit Tigers SS 28

# Name Team Pos Age

1941 American League Retirements

Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1941 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 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.

Copyright © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Design by Geisler Young. Hosted by Hosting 4 Less.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.