1955 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 1955.

"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

1955

35 Joe Coleman Baltimore Orioles P 33
3 Billy Cox Baltimore Orioles 3B 36
5 Angelo Dagres Baltimore Orioles OF 21
25 Ted Gray Baltimore Orioles P 31
9, 40 Don Leppert Baltimore Orioles 2B 25
13 Chuck Locke Baltimore Orioles P 24
15 Ed Lopat Baltimore Orioles P 37
5 Hank Majeski Baltimore Orioles 3B 39
24 Roger Marquis Baltimore Orioles OF 19
13 Bill Miller Baltimore Orioles P 28
20 Art Schallock Baltimore Orioles P 32
24 Kal Segrist Baltimore Orioles 3B 25
4 Vern Stephens Baltimore Orioles 3B 35
9 Eddie Waitkus Baltimore Orioles 1B 36
6 Harry Agganis Boston Red Sox 1B 27
20 Eddie Joost Boston Red Sox SS 39
44 Phil Cavarretta Chicago White Sox 1B 39
25 Ted Gray Chicago White Sox P 31
21, 31 Stan Jok Chicago White Sox 3B 30
27 Willard Marshall Chicago White Sox OF 35
6, 35 Ed McGhee Chicago White Sox OF 31
30 Lloyd Merriman Chicago White Sox PH 31
24 Al Papai Chicago White Sox P 39
35 Vern Stephens Chicago White Sox 3B 35
27 Ed White Chicago White Sox OF 30
36 Sam Dente Cleveland Indians SS 34
33 Ferris Fain Cleveland Indians 1B 35
33 Ted Gray Cleveland Indians P 31
9 Ralph Kiner Cleveland Indians OF 33
5 Hank Majeski Cleveland Indians 3B 39
16 Hal Newhouser Cleveland Indians P 35
35 Stan Pawloski Cleveland Indians 2B 24
12 Joe Coleman Detroit Tigers P 33
27 Leo Cristante Detroit Tigers P 29
3 Ferris Fain Detroit Tigers 1B 35
26 Van Fletcher Detroit Tigers P 31
38 Bill Froats Detroit Tigers P 25
21, 25 Harry Malmberg Detroit Tigers 2B 30
19 Bob Schultz Detroit Tigers P 32
12 Steve Souchock Detroit Tigers PH 37
26 Charlie Bishop Kansas City Athletics P 32
36 Ewell Blackwell Kansas City Athletics P 33
3 Don Bollweg Kansas City Athletics 1B 35
18 Cloyd Boyer Kansas City Athletics P 28
17, 29 Marion Fricano Kansas City Athletics P 32
46 Alex George Kansas City Athletics SS 17
27 Gus Keriazakos Kansas City Athletics P 24
8 Dick Kryhoski Kansas City Athletics 1B 31
29 Mike Kume Kansas City Athletics P 30
10 Eric Mackenzie Kansas City Athletics C 23
6 Don Plarski Kansas City Athletics OF 26
16 Vic Raschi Kansas City Athletics P 37
33 Jim Robertson Kansas City Athletics C 28
3 Tom Saffell Kansas City Athletics OF 34
14 Johnny Sain Kansas City Athletics P 38
6 Jerry Schypinski Kansas City Athletics SS 24
31 Bill Stewart Kansas City Athletics OF 28
12 Pete Suder Kansas City Athletics 2B 40
23 Bob Trice Kansas City Athletics P 29
15 Ozzie Van Brabant Kansas City Athletics P 29
16 Lee Wheat Kansas City Athletics P 26
32 Bill Wilson Kansas City Athletics OF 27
39 Ted Gray New York Yankees P 31
30 Ed Lopat New York Yankees P 37
11 Johnny Sain New York Yankees P 38
38 Art Schallock New York Yankees P 32
21 Webbo Clarke Washington Senators P 27
30, 43 Bill Currie Washington Senators P 27
34 Juan Delis Washington Senators 3B 28
16 Vince Gonzales Washington Senators P 30
25 Bobby Kline Washington Senators SS 27
35 Jesse Levan Washington Senators PH 29
17 Spec Shea Washington Senators P 35
22 Tom Umphlett Washington Senators OF 26
1955 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1955 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 July 28, 1976, Blue Moon Odom pitched the final five innings of his Major League career. He was relieved by Francisco Barrios in the sixth inning and the two White Sox combined to pitch a 2-1 no-hitter versus the Oakland Athletics.