1974 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 1974.

"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
 

American League Retirements

1974

10 Pat Bourque Minnesota Twins 1B 28
25 Norm Cash Detroit Tigers 1B 40
5 Mike Epstein California Angels 1B 32
40 Ron Cash Detroit Tigers 1B 25
18, 16 Ossie Blanco Cleveland Indians 1B 29
38 Pat Bourque Oakland Athletics 1B 28
43 Reggie Sanders Detroit Tigers 1B 25
14 Dwain Anderson Cleveland Indians 2B 27
48 Chuck Goggin Boston Red Sox 2B 29
1 Dick Green Oakland Athletics 2B 34
4 Remy Hermoso Cleveland Indians 2B 28
20 Horace Clarke New York Yankees 2B 34
24 John Donaldson Oakland Athletics 2B 32
12 John Kennedy Boston Red Sox 2B 34
15 Bobby Floyd Kansas City Royals 2B 31
9 Ike Brown Detroit Tigers 3B 33
9 Paul Schaal California Angels 3B 32
10 Paul Schaal Kansas City Royals 3B 32
18 Larry Brown Texas Rangers 3B 35
38 Terry Hughes Boston Red Sox 3B 26
11 Chuck Brinkman Chicago White Sox C 30
43 Jim Deidel New York Yankees C 25
48 Bob Didier Boston Red Sox C 26
2 Duke Sims Texas Rangers C 33
41 Duke Sims New York Yankees C 33
17 Dennis Paepke Kansas City Royals C 30
30 Orlando Cepeda Kansas City Royals DH 37
43 Jim Ray Hart New York Yankees DH 33
6 Al Kaline Detroit Tigers DH 40
5 Richie Scheinblum Kansas City Royals DH 32
10 Ron Santo Chicago White Sox DH 35
48 Rick Reichardt Kansas City Royals PH 32
14 Felipe Alou Milwaukee Brewers OF 40
42 Johnny Jeter Cleveland Indians OF 30
21 Curt Motton Baltimore Orioles OF 34
9 Mike Reinbach Baltimore Orioles OF 25
9 Richie Scheinblum California Angels OF 32
41 Steve Arlin Cleveland Indians P 29
40 Jerry Bell Milwaukee Brewers P 27
42 Lance Clemons Boston Red Sox P 27
47 John Cumberland California Angels P 28
13, 47 Bruce Ellingsen Cleveland Indians P 26
16 Danny Fife Minnesota Twins P 25
38 Bill Gilbreth California Angels P 27
20 Leon Hooten Oakland Athletics P 27
27 Roger Miller Milwaukee Brewers P 20
34 Bill Moran Chicago White Sox P 24
28 Don Newhauser Boston Red Sox P 27
39 Bill Parsons Oakland Athletics P 26
36 Jim Ray Detroit Tigers P 30
31 Barry Raziano California Angels P 28
37 Chuck Seelbach Detroit Tigers P 27
39 Dick Selma California Angels P 31
35 Dick Selma Milwaukee Brewers P 31
14 Bill Slayback Detroit Tigers P 27
26 Bill Stoneman California Angels P 31
30 Mel Stottlemyre New York Yankees P 33
19 Ken Tatum Chicago White Sox P 31
31, 39 Tom Timmermann Cleveland Indians P 35
55 Bob Veale Boston Red Sox P 39
17 Luke Walker Detroit Tigers P 31
13 Dick Woodson Minnesota Twins P 30
29 Dick Woodson New York Yankees P 30
42 Ken Wright New York Yankees P 28
15 Frank Baker Baltimore Orioles SS 28
1974 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1974 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.

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.