1950 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 1950.

"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

1950

11 Herb Conyers Cleveland Indians 1B 30
15 Tommy Henrich New York Yankees 1B 38
9 Hank Workman New York Yankees 1B 25
4 Joe Gordon Cleveland Indians 2B 36
42 Al Kozar Washington Senators 2B 29
14 Gene Markland Philadelphia Athletics 2B 31
2 Al Kozar Chicago White Sox 2B 29
6 Frankie Gustine St. Louis Browns 3B 31
4 Ken Keltner Boston Red Sox 3B 34
8 Bill Sommers St. Louis Browns 3B 28
27 Lou Stringer Boston Red Sox 3B 34
28 Eddie Malone Chicago White Sox C 30
38 Bob Rinker Philadelphia Athletics C 30
15 Bill Salkeld Chicago White Sox C 34
39 Bob Scherbarth Boston Red Sox C 25
15 Paul Campbell Detroit Tigers PH 33
41 George Genovese Washington Senators PH 29
24 Herb Adams Chicago White Sox OF 23
3, 55 Ben Guintini Philadelphia Athletics OF 31
23 Tommy O'Brien Boston Red Sox OF 32
35 Tommy O'Brien Washington Senators OF 32
28 Roberto Ortiz Philadelphia Athletics OF 35
33 Roberto Ortiz Washington Senators OF 35
2 Johnny Ostrowski Chicago White Sox OF 33
35 Johnny Ostrowski Washington Senators OF 33
36, 39 Jerry Scala Chicago White Sox OF 26
3, 38 Bob Wellman Philadelphia Athletics OF 25
3 Marv Rickert Chicago White Sox OF 30
35 Ed Albrecht St. Louis Browns P 22
36 Russ Bauers St. Louis Browns P 37
15, 49 Jack Bruner Chicago White Sox P 26
37 Jack Bruner St. Louis Browns P 26
28 Charlie Cuellar Chicago White Sox P 33
33 Dave Ferriss Boston Red Sox P 29
42 Tommy Fine St. Louis Browns P 36
23 Jesse Flores Cleveland Indians P 36
21 Bob Gillespie Boston Red Sox P 31
12, 18 Mickey Haefner Chicago White Sox P 38
19 Lloyd Hittle Washington Senators P 27
28 Ed Klieman Philadelphia Athletics P 33
26 Phil Marchildon Boston Red Sox P 37
36 Cuddles Marshall St. Louis Browns P 26
19 Rogelio Martinez Washington Senators P 32
31 Les McCrabb Philadelphia Athletics P 36
25 Gordie Mueller Boston Red Sox P 28
21 Joe Murray Philadelphia Athletics P 30
22 Steve Nagy Washington Senators P 32
14 Carlos Pascual Washington Senators P 20
57 John Perkovich Chicago White Sox P 27
18 Marino Pieretti Cleveland Indians P 30
26 Frank Quinn Boston Red Sox P 23
46 Ribs Raney St. Louis Browns P 28
18 Charley Schanz Boston Red Sox P 31
21 Dick Welteroth Washington Senators P 23
4 Luke Appling Chicago White Sox SS 44
7 Eddie Lake Detroit Tigers SS 35
1950 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1950 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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.