1969 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 1969.

"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

1969

17 Mike Adamson Baltimore Orioles P 22
29 Bill Landis Boston Red Sox P 27
18 Don Lock Boston Red Sox OF 33
37 Garry Roggenburk Boston Red Sox P 30
12 Ruben Amaro California Angels 1B 34
37 Bob Chance California Angels 1B 29
4 Chuck Cottier California Angels 2B 34
17 Vern Geishert California Angels P 24
26 Lou Johnson California Angels OF 35
27 Bubba Morton California Angels OF 38
31 Phil Ortega California Angels P 30
7 Buck Rodgers California Angels C 31
5 Dick Stuart California Angels 1B 37
23 Greg Washburn California Angels P 23
32 Doug Adams Chicago White Sox C 27
26 Gary Bell Chicago White Sox P 33
41 Paul Edmondson Chicago White Sox P 27
32 Sammy Ellis Chicago White Sox P 29
32 Jack Hamilton Chicago White Sox P 31
9 Woodie Held Chicago White Sox OF 38
40 Danny Lazar Chicago White Sox P 26
45 Fred Rath Chicago White Sox P 26
54 Gary Boyd Cleveland Indians P 23
36 Larry Burchart Cleveland Indians P 24
32 Jack Hamilton Cleveland Indians P 31
37 Gary Kroll Cleveland Indians P 28
41 Ron Law Cleveland Indians P 24
20 Cap Peterson Cleveland Indians OF 27
14 Dick Radatz Detroit Tigers P 33
31 Wayne Redmond Detroit Tigers PH 24
47 Gary Taylor Detroit Tigers P 24
44 Dick Tracewski Detroit Tigers SS 35
4 Tom Tresh Detroit Tigers SS 31
26 Galen Cisco Kansas City Royals P 34
15 Billy Harris Kansas City Royals 2B 26
37 Steve Jones Kansas City Royals P 29
44 Scott Northey Kansas City Royals OF 23
46 Fred Rico Kansas City Royals OF 25
12 Juan Rios Kansas City Royals 2B 27
40 Dave Wickersham Kansas City Royals P 34
2 Frank Kostro Minnesota Twins PH 32
27 Danny Morris Minnesota Twins P 23
27 Charlie Walters Minnesota Twins P 23
19 Al Worthington Minnesota Twins P 41
14 Bobby Cox New York Yankees 3B 29
23 Don Nottebart New York Yankees P 34
21 Nate Oliver New York Yankees PH 29
9 Dick Simpson New York Yankees OF 26
15 Tom Tresh New York Yankees SS 31
17 Jim Pagliaroni Oakland Athletics C 32
11 John Wyatt Oakland Athletics P 35
46 Dick Bates Seattle Pilots P 24
39 Gary Bell Seattle Pilots P 33
38, 55 Bill Edgerton Seattle Pilots P 28
14 Miguel Fuentes Seattle Pilots P 24
14 Gordy Lund Seattle Pilots SS 29
17 Jim Pagliaroni Seattle Pilots C 32
26, 57 Merritt Ranew Seattle Pilots C 32
39 Garry Roggenburk Seattle Pilots P 30
16 Dick Simpson Seattle Pilots OF 26
45, 50 Gary Timberlake Seattle Pilots P 21
25 Jose Vidal Seattle Pilots OF 30
51 Billy Williams Seattle Pilots OF 36
31 Sam Bowens Washington Senators OF 32
12 Doug Camilli Washington Senators C 33
5 Gary Holman Washington Senators 1B 26
22 Frank Kreutzer Washington Senators P 31
21, 24 Jim Miles Washington Senators P 26
14 Dick Smith Washington Senators OF 25
1969 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1969 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).

Did you know that future hall of fame pitcher Walter Johnson ended his Major League career in 1927 with a pinch-hit appearance? During the final game of the season pitcher Tom Zachary, who had just given up Babe Ruth's sixtieth home run of the season, was lifted and Johnson replaced him at the plate.