1977 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 1977.

"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

1977

19 Craig Cacek Houston Astros 1B 23
22 Boog Powell Los Angeles Dodgers 1B 36
21 Ed Goodson Los Angeles Dodgers 1B 30
9 Joe Torre New York Mets 1B 37
23 Ed Kirkpatrick Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 33
19 Luis Alvarado New York Mets 2B 29
16 Fred Andrews Philadelphia Phillies 2B 26
16 Jerry DaVanon St. Louis Cardinals 2B 32
17 Felix Millan New York Mets 2B 34
17 Ken Boswell Houston Astros 2B 32
19 Leo Foster New York Mets 2B 27
8 Pat Scanlon San Diego Padres 2B 25
17 Terry Harmon Philadelphia Phillies 2B 34
12 Doug Rader San Diego Padres 3B 33
4 Randy Hundley Chicago Cubs C 35
14 Ken Rudolph San Francisco Giants C 31
15 George Mitterwald Chicago Cubs C 32
24 Tommy Helms Pittsburgh Pirates PH 37
33 Ed Armbrister Cincinnati Reds OF 29
23 Ollie Brown Philadelphia Phillies OF 34
21 Willie Crawford Houston Astros OF 31
12 Bobby Darwin Chicago Cubs OF 35
21, 11 Pepe Mangual New York Mets OF 26
2 Luis Melendez San Diego Padres OF 28
43 Mike Potter St. Louis Cardinals OF 27
16 Jim Fuller Houston Astros OF 27
42 Santo Alcala Cincinnati Reds P 25
32 Santo Alcala Montreal Expos P 25
34 Bob Apodaca New York Mets P 28
45 Rick Baldwin New York Mets P 24
37 Mike Beard Atlanta Braves P 27
39 Vic Bernal San Diego Padres P 24
31 Jackie Brown Montreal Expos P 35
47 Buzz Capra Atlanta Braves P 30
44 Larry Demery Pittsburgh Pirates P 24
49 Larry Dierker St. Louis Cardinals P 31
44 Al Downing Los Angeles Dodgers P 36
44 Dave Giusti Chicago Cubs P 38
50 Steve Hargan Atlanta Braves P 35
53 Joe Henderson Cincinnati Reds P 31
36 Ramon Hernandez Chicago Cubs P 37
40 Joe Hoerner Cincinnati Reds P 41
50 Bob Johnson Atlanta Braves P 35
48 Tim Jones Pittsburgh Pirates P 24
38 Steve Kline Atlanta Braves P 30
46 Doug Konieczny Houston Astros P 26
21 Larry Landreth Montreal Expos P 23
38 Gary Nolan Cincinnati Reds P 30
34 Dave Pagan Pittsburgh Pirates P 28
33 Ray Sadecki New York Mets P 37
27 Rick Sawyer San Diego Padres P 30
22 Brent Strom San Diego Padres P 29
48 Jeff Terpko Montreal Expos P 27
51 Tommy Toms San Francisco Giants P 26
38 Angel Torres Cincinnati Reds P 25
16 Tom Walker Montreal Expos P 29
45 Stan Wall Los Angeles Dodgers P 26
37 Hank Webb Los Angeles Dodgers P 28
43 Mike Buskey Philadelphia Phillies SS 29
16 Craig Robinson Atlanta Braves SS 29
11 Rob Sperring Houston Astros SS 28
1977 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1977 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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).