1958 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 1958.

"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

1958

27 Joe Albanese Washington Senators P 25
11 Mike Baxes Kansas City Athletics 2B 28
43 Charlie Beamon Baltimore Orioles P 24
16 Ted Beard Chicago White Sox OF 38
23 Milt Bolling Detroit Tigers SS 28
24 Wally Burnette Kansas City Athletics P 29
8 Foster Castleman Baltimore Orioles SS 28
16 Glenn Cox Kansas City Athletics P 28
6, 30 Walt Craddock Kansas City Athletics P 27
14, 15 Carl Duser Kansas City Athletics P 26
19 Jack Feller Detroit Tigers C 22
29 Rod Graber Cleveland Indians OF 28
4 Milt Graff Kansas City Athletics 2B 28
20 Bert Hamric Baltimore Orioles PH 31
7 Fred Hatfield Cleveland Indians 3B 34
27 Bob Hazle Detroit Tigers OF 28
28 Dixie Howell Chicago White Sox P 39
7 Billy Hunter Cleveland Indians SS 30
1 Billy Hunter Kansas City Athletics SS 30
36 Connie Johnson Baltimore Orioles P 36
15 Bob Keegan Chicago White Sox P 38
37 Bob Kelly Cleveland Indians P 31
21 Bob Lemon Cleveland Indians P 38
31 Chuck Lindstrom Chicago White Sox C 22
21 Sal Maglie New York Yankees P 42
36 Jim McDonald Chicago White Sox P 32
28 Stover McIlwain Chicago White Sox P 19
3, 35 Dave Melton Kansas City Athletics OF 30
6 Eddie Miksis Baltimore Orioles SS 32
12 Les Moss Chicago White Sox PH 34
21 Willard Nixon Boston Red Sox P 30
40 Chuck Oertel Baltimore Orioles OF 28
27 Joe Presko Detroit Tigers P 30
31, 36 Tom Qualters Chicago White Sox P 24
16 Larry Raines Cleveland Indians 2B 29
19 Lou Sleater Baltimore Orioles P 32
19 Lou Sleater Detroit Tigers P 32
35 Jim Small Kansas City Athletics OF 22
34 Jerry Snyder Washington Senators 2B 29
29 Bill Taylor Detroit Tigers OF 29
12 Tim Thompson Detroit Tigers C 35
3 Hal Trosky Chicago White Sox P 22
23 Virgil Trucks Kansas City Athletics P 42
21 Virgil Trucks New York Yankees P 42
20 Herm Wehmeier Detroit Tigers P 32
21 Bob Wiesler Washington Senators P 28
15 Duane Wilson Boston Red Sox P 24
30 Jim Wilson Chicago White Sox P 37
1958 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1958 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.

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.