1960 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 1960.

"You are George Brett and all the cheering has stopped. The music is muted, the hour is late, and they will be taking the banners down and emptying your locker any minute now. As the late Jimmy Cannon would say it, 'All your bats are broken.'" - Broadcaster Jim Murray
 

American League Retirements

1960

36 Sandy Amoros Detroit Tigers OF 31
11 Lou Berberet Detroit Tigers C 31
27 Ray Blemker Kansas City Athletics P 23
39 Ray Boone Boston Red Sox 1B 37
32, 16 Johnny Briggs Cleveland Indians P 27
27 Johnny Briggs Kansas City Athletics P 27
28 Nelson Chittum Boston Red Sox P 28
35 Rip Coleman Baltimore Orioles P 29
15 Bob Davis Kansas City Athletics P 27
6 Jim Delsing Kansas City Athletics OF 35
5 Steve Demeter Cleveland Indians 3B 26
3 Johnny Groth Detroit Tigers OF 34
25 Kent Hadley New York Yankees 1B 26
5 Gail Harris Detroit Tigers 1B 29
23 Jack Harshman Cleveland Indians P 33
4 Ray Jablonski Kansas City Athletics 3B 34
5 Ron Jackson Boston Red Sox 1B 27
32, 34 Leo Kiely Kansas City Athletics P 31
18 Fred Kipp New York Yankees P 29
12 Danny Kravitz Kansas City Athletics C 30
26 Johnny Kucks Kansas City Athletics P 27
23 Em Lindbeck Detroit Tigers PH 26
30 Bob Mabe Baltimore Orioles P 31
12 Gil McDougald New York Yankees 3B 33
48 Jim McManus Kansas City Athletics 1B 24
25 Don Newcombe Cleveland Indians P 34
15 Jim Pisoni New York Yankees OF 31
24 Arnie Portocarrero Baltimore Orioles P 29
20 Johnny Powers Baltimore Orioles OF 31
8 Johnny Powers Cleveland Indians OF 31
29 Bob Rush Chicago White Sox P 35
47 Billy Shantz New York Yankees C 33
31 George Spencer Detroit Tigers P 34
29 Hal Stowe New York Yankees P 23
4 George Strickland Cleveland Indians SS 35
20, 31 Jake Striker Chicago White Sox P 27
1 Wayne Terwilliger Kansas City Athletics 2B 35
25 Carl Thomas Cleveland Indians P 29
35 Bobby Thomson Baltimore Orioles OF 37
25 Bobby Thomson Boston Red Sox OF 37
37 Bob Trowbridge Kansas City Athletics P 30
31 Ray Webster Boston Red Sox 2B 23
9 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox OF 42
27 Red Wilson Cleveland Indians C 32
10 Red Wilson Detroit Tigers C 32
22 Casey Wise Detroit Tigers 2B 28
1960 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1960 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.