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'll never make the mistake of being seventy (70) again." - Casey Stengel comment made after being told to quit following the 1960 World Series
 

American League Retirements

1955

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

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).

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.