1943 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 1943.

"You start chasing a ball and your brain immediately commands your body to: Run forward. Bend. Scoop up the ball. Peg it to the infield. Then your body says, 'Who, me?'" - Retirement comment made by Joe DiMaggio
 

American League Retirements

1943

18, 23 Orie Arntzen Philadelphia Athletics P 34
21 Red Barbary Washington Senators PH 23
42 Babe Barna Boston Red Sox OF 29
24 Marv Breuer New York Yankees P 30
26 Earle Brucker Philadelphia Athletics PH 43
29 Lew Carpenter Washington Senators P 30
10 Ken Chase Boston Red Sox P 30
7 Lou Ciola Philadelphia Athletics P 21
25 Tom Clyde Philadelphia Athletics P 20
16 Chubby Dean Cleveland Indians P 27
19 Paul Dean St. Louis Browns P 31
9 Otto Denning Cleveland Indians 1B 31
- Frank Doljack Cleveland Indians OF 36
24 Danny Doyle Boston Red Sox C 27
9 Tony Giuliani Washington Senators C 31
31 Lefty Gomez Washington Senators P 35
36 Frank Kalin Chicago White Sox PH 26
15 Alex Kampouris Washington Senators 3B 31
14 Bert Kuczynski Philadelphia Athletics P 24
22, 29 Sam Lowry Philadelphia Athletics P 24
25 Jim Mains Philadelphia Athletics P 21
22 Red Marion Washington Senators OF 30
36 Archie McKain St. Louis Browns P 33
14 Jim Mertz Washington Senators P 27
2 Dee Miles Boston Red Sox OF 35
28 Dick Newsome Boston Red Sox P 34
29 Tom Padden Washington Senators C 35
23 Dixie Parsons Detroit Tigers C 28
38 Sid Peterson St. Louis Browns P 26
5 Rip Radcliff Detroit Tigers OF 38
12 Jimmy Ripple Philadelphia Athletics OF 34
21, 29 Red Roberts Washington Senators SS 25
15 Owen Scheetz Washington Senators P 30
- Hank Schmulbach St. Louis Browns PR 19
10 Frank Skaff Philadelphia Athletics 1B 33
6 Moose Solters Chicago White Sox OF 38
- George Staller Philadelphia Athletics OF 28
48 Bill Swift Chicago White Sox P 35
14 Eddie Turchin Cleveland Indians 3B 27
12 Jim Tyack Philadelphia Athletics OF 33
11 Johnny Welaj Philadelphia Athletics OF 30
24 Joe Wood Detroit Tigers 2B 24
1943 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1943 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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).

Hank Aaron ended his Major League career on October 3, 1976, with a sharp single during the sixth inning off Dave Roberts of the Detroit Tigers.