1946 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 1946.

"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

1946

23 George Archie St. Louis Browns 1B 33
3 Babe Dahlgren St. Louis Browns 1B 34
10 Mickey Rocco Cleveland Indians 1B 31
27 Jack Sanford Washington Senators 1B 29
7 Hal Trosky Chicago White Sox 1B 34
36, 37 Bruce Konopka Philadelphia Athletics 1B 27
14 Tom Carey Boston Red Sox 2B 40
3 Dutch Meyer Cleveland Indians 2B 31
22 Oscar Grimes Philadelphia Athletics 2B 32
6 Irv Hall Philadelphia Athletics 2B 28
1 Len Schulte St. Louis Browns 2B 30
35 Ernie Andres Boston Red Sox 3B 29
36 Pinky Higgins Boston Red Sox 3B 38
6 Pinky Higgins Detroit Tigers 3B 38
39 Dario Lodigiani Chicago White Sox 3B 30
40 Howie Moss Cleveland Indians 3B 28
1 Don Ross Cleveland Indians 3B 32
37 Leo Wells Chicago White Sox 3B 29
33 George Armstrong Philadelphia Athletics C 22
9 Gene Desautels Philadelphia Athletics C 39
26 Bill Drescher New York Yankees C 26
25 Ed Fernandes Chicago White Sox C 29
11 Hank Helf St. Louis Browns C 33
2 Frankie Pytlak Boston Red Sox C 38
9 Paul Richards Detroit Tigers C 38
12, 16 Ken Sears St. Louis Browns C 29
8 Bill Dickey New York Yankees C 39
26 Ned Harris Detroit Tigers PH 30
3 Bud Metheny New York Yankees PH 31
7 Blas Monaco Cleveland Indians PH 31
22 George Bradley St. Louis Browns OF 33
12 Guy Curtright Chicago White Sox OF 34
1 Ford Garrison Philadelphia Athletics OF 31
42 Andy Gilbert Boston Red Sox OF 32
39 Ray Goolsby Washington Senators OF 27
29 Johnny Lazor Boston Red Sox OF 34
24 Buster Mills Cleveland Indians OF 38
20 Anse Moore Detroit Tigers OF 29
- Joe Smaza Chicago White Sox OF 23
1 Tuck Stainback Philadelphia Athletics OF 35
22 Joe Berry Cleveland Indians P 42
20 Joe Berry Philadelphia Athletics P 42
24 Herman Besse Philadelphia Athletics P 35
10 Tommy Bridges Detroit Tigers P 40
25 Mace Brown Boston Red Sox P 38
31 Norm Brown Philadelphia Athletics P 28
25 George Caster Detroit Tigers P 39
29 Pete Center Cleveland Indians P 35
36 Vern Curtis Washington Senators P 27
34 Mel Deutsch Boston Red Sox P 31
38 Everett Fagan Philadelphia Athletics P 29
45 Stan Ferens St. Louis Browns P 32
45 Ray Flanigan Cleveland Indians P 24
31 Charlie Gassaway Cleveland Indians P 28
31 Lee Griffeth Philadelphia Athletics P 22
26 Randy Heflin Boston Red Sox P 28
59 Al Hollingsworth Chicago White Sox P 39
25 Al Hollingsworth St. Louis Browns P 39
39 Chet Johnson St. Louis Browns P 29
22 Vic Johnson Cleveland Indians P 26
40 Herb Karpel New York Yankees P 29
35 Jack Knott Philadelphia Athletics P 40
30 Joe Krakauskas Cleveland Indians P 32
44 Al LaMacchia St. Louis Browns P 25
38 Al LaMacchia Washington Senators P 25
24 Hal Manders Detroit Tigers P 29
33 Ralph McCabe Cleveland Indians P 28
40 Al Milnar St. Louis Browns P 33
12 Johnny Niggeling Washington Senators P 43
38 Emmett O'Neill Chicago White Sox P 29
34 Len Perme Chicago White Sox P 29
31 Johnny Podgajny Cleveland Indians P 26
26 Steve Roser New York Yankees P 29
26 Marius Russo New York Yankees P 32
20 Mike Ryba Boston Red Sox P 43
28 Tex Shirley St. Louis Browns P 29
29 Charley Stanceu New York Yankees P 31
31 Steve Sundra St. Louis Browns P 37
28 Porter Vaughan Philadelphia Athletics P 28
36 Jake Wade New York Yankees P 35
34, 44 Jake Wade Washington Senators P 35
27 Charlie Wagner Boston Red Sox P 34
19, 20 Max Wilson Washington Senators P 30
16 Ted Lyons Chicago White Sox P 46
20 Charlie Brewster Cleveland Indians SS 30
35 Jackie Price Cleveland Indians SS 34
14 Jake Caulfield Philadelphia Athletics SS 29
7 Oscar Grimes New York Yankees SS 32
25 Gil Torres Washington Senators SS 31
1946 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1946 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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.