1942 National 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 National League League players who hung up their spikes in 1942.

"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
 

National League Retirements

1942

19 Dick Errickson Boston Braves P 31
30 Buddy Gremp Boston Braves 1B 23
29 Art Johnson Boston Braves P 23
24 Frank LaManna Boston Braves P 23
20 Frank McElyea Boston Braves OF 24
19 Cliff Dapper Brooklyn Dodgers C 23
20 Larry French Brooklyn Dodgers P 35
33 Chet Kehn Brooklyn Dodgers P 21
32 Johnny Rizzo Brooklyn Dodgers OF 30
21 Bob Bowman Chicago Cubs P 32
14 Vallie Eaves Chicago Cubs P 31
21 Dick Errickson Chicago Cubs P 31
2, 43 Marv Felderman Chicago Cubs C 27
40 Tot Pressnell Chicago Cubs P 36
12 Joe Abreu Cincinnati Reds 3B 30
23 Harry Craft Cincinnati Reds OF 28
21 Jim Gleeson Cincinnati Reds OF 31
25 Ernie Koy Cincinnati Reds PH 33
15 Bobby Mattick Cincinnati Reds SS 27
35 Whitey Moore Cincinnati Reds P 30
8 Harry Danning New York Giants C 31
21 Charlie Fox New York Giants C 21
5 Hank Leiber New York Giants OF 32
10 Bill McGee New York Giants P 33
1 Bill Werber New York Giants 3B 34
11 Cy Blanton Philadelphia Phillies P 34
16 Hilly Flitcraft Philadelphia Phillies P 19
30 Ed Freed Philadelphia Phillies OF 23
25 Bert Hodges Philadelphia Phillies 3B 26
12 Ernie Koy Philadelphia Phillies OF 33
9 Gene Lambert Philadelphia Phillies P 22
7 Harry Marnie Philadelphia Phillies 2B 24
8 Paul Masterson Philadelphia Phillies P 27
33 Ed Murphy Philadelphia Phillies 1B 24
12 Bill Peterman Philadelphia Phillies C 22
24 Ken Jungels Pittsburgh Pirates P 26
6 Ed Leip Pittsburgh Pirates PR 32
10 Babe Phelps Pittsburgh Pirates C 35
27 Bill Beckmann St. Louis Cardinals P 35
7 Creepy Crespi St. Louis Cardinals 2B 25
35 Whitey Moore St. Louis Cardinals P 30
1942 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1942 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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.