1963 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 1963.

"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

1963

25 Jim Lemon Chicago White Sox 1B 36
26 Dale Long New York Yankees 1B 38
6 Vic Wertz Minnesota Twins 1B 39
25 Bobo Osborne Washington Senators 1B 28
4 Whitey Herzog Detroit Tigers 1B 32
15 Billy Gardner Boston Red Sox 2B 36
1 Sammy Esposito Kansas City Athletics 2B 32
1 Marv Breeding Washington Senators 3B 30
30 Hobie Landrith Baltimore Orioles C 34
5 Hobie Landrith Washington Senators C 34
5 Jim Lawrence Cleveland Indians C 25
7 Bob Lipski Cleveland Indians C 25
5 Cal Neeman Cleveland Indians C 35
3 Cal Neeman Washington Senators C 35
8 Haywood Sullivan Kansas City Athletics C 33
5 Sammy Taylor Cleveland Indians C 31
10 Sherm Lollar Chicago White Sox C 39
40 Julio Becquer Minnesota Twins PH 32
5 Purnal Goldy Detroit Tigers PH 26
6 Johnny Schaive Washington Senators PH 30
2 Barry Shetrone Washington Senators PH 25
20 Vic Wertz Detroit Tigers PH 39
6 Chuck Essegian Kansas City Athletics OF 32
23 Gene Green Cleveland Indians OF 30
9 Jay Hankins Kansas City Athletics OF 28
23, 44 Jim Lemon Minnesota Twins OF 36
9 Hector Martinez Kansas City Athletics OF 25
16 Brian McCall Chicago White Sox OF 21
27 Jack Reed New York Yankees OF 31
13 Bill Tuttle Minnesota Twins OF 34
28 Willie Tasby Cleveland Indians OF 31
15 Bob Sadowski Los Angeles Angels OF 27
1, 12 Tom Brown Washington Senators OF 23
23 Bob Anderson Detroit Tigers P 28
47 Luis Arroyo New York Yankees P 37
8, 36 Bob Baird Washington Senators P 24
22 Norm Bass Kansas City Athletics P 25
27 Jim Brosnan Chicago White Sox P 34
20 Pete Burnside Baltimore Orioles P 33
18 Pete Burnside Washington Senators P 33
18 Gene Conley Boston Red Sox P 33
43 Jack Curtis Cleveland Indians P 27
22 Dave DeBusschere Chicago White Sox P 23
14 Ike Delock Baltimore Orioles P 34
14 Ike Delock Boston Red Sox P 34
35 Bob Dustal Detroit Tigers P 28
20 Mike Fornieles Boston Red Sox P 32
27 Mike Fornieles Minnesota Twins P 32
46 Larry Foster Detroit Tigers P 26
33 Eli Grba Los Angeles Angels P 29
36 Ed Hobaugh Washington Senators P 29
23 Mike Joyce Chicago White Sox P 23
28 Hal Kolstad Boston Red Sox P 28
20 Bill Kunkel New York Yankees P 27
30 Mike Lee Los Angeles Angels P 23
32 Pete Lovrich Kansas City Athletics P 21
29 Tom Metcalf New York Yankees P 23
45 Ron Moeller Los Angeles Angels P 25
16 Ron Moeller Washington Senators P 25
21 Ray Moore Minnesota Twins P 37
47 Tom Morgan Los Angeles Angels P 34
29 Taylor Phillips Chicago White Sox P 30
22 Art Quirk Washington Senators P 26
19 Joe Shipley Chicago White Sox P 29
49 Pete Smith Boston Red Sox P 24
22 Dean Stone Baltimore Orioles P 33
20 Frank Sullivan Minnesota Twins P 34
25 Dave Thies Kansas City Athletics P 27
29 Bob Turley Boston Red Sox P 33
39 Bob Turley Los Angeles Angels P 33
43 Don Williams Minnesota Twins P 28
20 Dale Willis Kansas City Athletics P 26
38 Early Wynn Cleveland Indians P 44
14 Sammy Esposito Chicago White Sox PR 32
9 Chico Fernandez Detroit Tigers SS 32
28 Coot Veal Detroit Tigers SS 31
1963 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1963 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).

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.