1973 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 1973.

"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

1973

20 Tommie Agee Houston Astros OF 31
47 Tommie Agee St. Louis Cardinals OF 31
9 Bernie Allen Montreal Expos 2B 35
14 Gene Alley Pittsburgh Pirates SS 33
37 John Andrews St. Louis Cardinals P 25
1 Lute Barnes New York Mets PH 27
5 Jim Beauchamp New York Mets 1B 34
30 Bucky Brandon Philadelphia Phillies P 33
17 Curtis Brown Montreal Expos OF 28
20, 45 Oscar Brown Atlanta Braves OF 28
4 Jim Campanis Pittsburgh Pirates PH 30
35 Craig Caskey Montreal Expos P 24
30 Dave Cheadle Atlanta Braves P 22
43 Al Closter Atlanta Braves P 30
28 Pat Corrales San Diego Padres C 33
14 Dick Dietz Atlanta Braves 1B 32
28 Jim Fairey Los Angeles Dodgers PH 29
18 Bobby Fenwick St. Louis Cardinals 2B 27
48 Eddie Fisher St. Louis Cardinals P 37
58 Jim Foor Pittsburgh Pirates P 25
56 Wenty Ford Atlanta Braves P 27
40 Jimmy Freeman Atlanta Braves P 22
10 Al Gallagher San Francisco Giants 3B 28
42 Joe Gilbert Montreal Expos P 22
48 Fred Gladding Houston Astros P 37
25 Joe Hague Cincinnati Reds OF 30
6 Greg Harts New York Mets PH 24
34 Phil Hennigan New York Mets P 28
2 Jackie Hernandez Pittsburgh Pirates SS 33
29 Greg Heydeman Los Angeles Dodgers P 22
25 Larry Howard Atlanta Braves C 28
10 Larry Howard Houston Astros C 28
24 Cleo James Chicago Cubs OF 33
34 Pat Jarvis Montreal Expos P 33
36 Tom Kelley Atlanta Braves P 30
42 Tony La Russa Chicago Cubs PR 29
39 Coco Laboy Montreal Expos 3B 34
44 John Lamb Pittsburgh Pirates P 27
8 Dave Marshall San Diego Padres OF 31
5 Clyde Mashore Montreal Expos OF 29
5 Don Mason San Diego Padres 2B 29
20 Jerry May New York Mets C 30
24 Willie Mays New York Mets OF 43
31 Jim McGlothlin Cincinnati Reds P 30
39 Jim McKee Pittsburgh Pirates P 27
11 Jerry McNertney Pittsburgh Pirates C 37
31 Gary Neibauer Atlanta Braves P 29
19 Brian Ostrosser New York Mets SS 24
16 Jose Pagan Philadelphia Phillies 3B 39
22 Jim Panther Atlanta Braves P 29
32 Milt Pappas Chicago Cubs P 35
7 Joe Pepitone Atlanta Braves 1B 33
8 Joe Pepitone Chicago Cubs 1B 33
17 Jorge Roque Montreal Expos OF 24
34 Al Santorini St. Louis Cardinals P 26
42 Frank Snook San Diego Padres P 25
24 Scipio Spinks St. Louis Cardinals P 26
29 Larry Stahl Cincinnati Reds OF 32
11 Jimmy Stewart Houston Astros 3B 34
9 Otis Thornton Houston Astros C 28
18 Freddie Velazquez Atlanta Braves C 36
37 Bill Wilson Philadelphia Phillies P 31
32 Chris Zachary Pittsburgh Pirates P 30
1973 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1973 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.

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).