1969 National 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 National League League players who hung up their spikes in 1969.

"You start chasing a ball and your brain immediately commands your body to: Run forward. Bend. Scoop up the ball. Peg it to the infield. Then your body says, 'Who, me?'" - Retirement comment made by Joe DiMaggio
 

National League Retirements

1969

22 Garry Hill Atlanta Braves P 23
39 Walt Hriniak Atlanta Braves C 27
23 Larry Maxie Atlanta Braves P 29
43 Charlie Vaughan Atlanta Braves P 22
6 Randy Bobb Chicago Cubs C 22
45 Alec Distaso Chicago Cubs P 21
43 Johnny Hairston Chicago Cubs C 25
19 Bill Heath Chicago Cubs C 31
23 Manny Jimenez Chicago Cubs PH 31
38 Don Nottebart Chicago Cubs P 34
12 Gene Oliver Chicago Cubs C 35
15 Nate Oliver Chicago Cubs 2B 29
19 Charley Smith Chicago Cubs PH 32
29 Don Young Chicago Cubs OF 24
26 Mike de la Hoz Cincinnati Reds PH 31
43 Jack Fisher Cincinnati Reds P 31
44 Al Jackson Cincinnati Reds P 34
42 Dennis Ribant Cincinnati Reds P 28
42 Bill Short Cincinnati Reds P 32
17 Julio Gotay Houston Astros 2B 30
41 Bill Henry Houston Astros P 42
41 Dan Schneider Houston Astros P 27
47 Bob Watkins Houston Astros P 22
45 Ken Boyer Los Angeles Dodgers 1B 39
53 Don Drysdale Los Angeles Dodgers P 33
29 Jack Jenkins Los Angeles Dodgers P 27
43 John Miller Los Angeles Dodgers OF 26
35 John Purdin Los Angeles Dodgers P 27
19 Don Bosch Montreal Expos OF 27
14 Roy Face Montreal Expos P 42
22 Leo Marentette Montreal Expos P 29
22, 17 Dick Radatz Montreal Expos P 33
46 Steve Shea Montreal Expos P 27
5 Ed Charles New York Mets 3B 37
38 Jesse Hudson New York Mets P 21
38 Al Jackson New York Mets P 34
31, 33 Les Rohr New York Mets P 24
23 Rich Barry Philadelphia Phillies OF 29
21 John Boozer Philadelphia Phillies P 31
32 Turk Farrell Philadelphia Phillies P 36
30 Jeff James Philadelphia Phillies P 28
23 Don Lock Philadelphia Phillies OF 33
28 Luis Peraza Philadelphia Phillies P 27
25 Al Raffo Philadelphia Phillies P 28
23 Leroy Reams Philadelphia Phillies PH 26
7 Vic Roznovsky Philadelphia Phillies C 31
10 Gene Stone Philadelphia Phillies 1B 26
2 Dave Watkins Philadelphia Phillies C 26
3 Ron Davis Pittsburgh Pirates OF 28
10 Gary Kolb Pittsburgh Pirates C 30
12 Bill Davis San Diego Padres 1B 27
31 Leon Everitt San Diego Padres P 23
25 Walt Hriniak San Diego Padres C 27
24 Chris Krug San Diego Padres C 30
35 Frankie Libran San Diego Padres SS 22
45 Johnny Podres San Diego Padres P 37
2 John Sipin San Diego Padres 2B 23
17 Bobby Etheridge San Francisco Giants 3B 27
39 Bob Garibaldi San Francisco Giants P 28
32 John Harrell San Francisco Giants C 22
3 Ozzie Virgil San Francisco Giants PH 38
38 Leon Wagner San Francisco Giants OF 36
35 Chip Coulter St. Louis Cardinals 2B 24
33 Jim Ellis St. Louis Cardinals P 25
47 Mel Nelson St. Louis Cardinals P 34
47 Dennis Ribant St. Louis Cardinals P 28
7 Bill White St. Louis Cardinals 1B 36
1969 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1969 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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.