1966 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 1966.

"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

1966

30 Gil Blanco Kansas City Athletics P 21
38 Ed Barnowski Baltimore Orioles P 23
47 Greg Bollo Chicago White Sox P 23
30 Paul Dicken Cleveland Indians PH 23
32 Don Pepper Detroit Tigers 1B 23
31 Randy Schwartz Kansas City Athletics 1B 23
14 Charlie Vinson California Angels 1B 23
26 Jackie Warner California Angels OF 23
36 Pete Magrini Boston Red Sox P 24
23 Ed Sukla California Angels P 24
7 Ernie Fazio Kansas City Athletics 2B 25
29 Bill Henry New York Yankees P 25
35 Arlo Brunsberg Detroit Tigers C 26
35 Pete Craig Washington Senators P 26
45 Jack Cullen New York Yankees P 27
22 Tony Martinez Cleveland Indians SS 27
14 George Banks Cleveland Indians PH 28
8 Mike Brumley Washington Senators C 28
31 Jim Duckworth Kansas City Athletics P 28
17 Jim Duckworth Washington Senators P 28
37 Guido Grilli Boston Red Sox P 28
24 Guido Grilli Kansas City Athletics P 28
26 Vern Handrahan Kansas City Athletics P 28
31 Jesse Hickman Kansas City Athletics P 28
35 Cam Carreon Baltimore Orioles C 29
29 Tony Curry Cleveland Indians PH 29
22 Jim Dickson Kansas City Athletics P 29
31 Howie Koplitz Washington Senators P 29
19 Bill Pleis Minnesota Twins P 29
21 Bob Sadowski Boston Red Sox P 29
14 George Smith Boston Red Sox 2B 29
40 Rollie Sheldon Boston Red Sox P 30
15 Rollie Sheldon Kansas City Athletics P 30
20 Joe Christopher Boston Red Sox OF 31
18 Terry Fox Detroit Tigers P 31
1 Bobby Richardson New York Yankees 2B 31
42 Dick Stigman Boston Red Sox P 31
22 Tom Cheney Washington Senators P 32
12 Jim Gentile Cleveland Indians 1B 32
7 Ken Hamlin Washington Senators 2B 32
28 Albie Pearson California Angels OF 32
18 Gene Freese Chicago White Sox 3B 33
50 Deacon Jones Chicago White Sox PH 33
6 Willie Kirkland Washington Senators OF 33
2 Eddie Kasko Boston Red Sox SS 34
25 Ramon Lopez California Angels P 34
8 Don Blasingame Kansas City Athletics 2B 35
1 Don Blasingame Washington Senators 2B 35
3 Joe Cunningham Washington Senators 1B 35
22 Dick Phillips Washington Senators 1B 35
25 Ed Bailey California Angels PH 36
19 Bob Friend New York Yankees P 36
7 Del Crandall Cleveland Indians C 37
11 Hector Lopez New York Yankees OF 37
15 Frank Malzone California Angels 3B 37
6 Joe Adcock California Angels 1B 39
1966 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1966 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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.