1986 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 1986.

"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

1986

48 Ray Chadwick California Angels P 24
34 Jose Roman Cleveland Indians P 24
59 Tom Dozier Oakland Athletics P 25
54 Jeff Hearron Toronto Blue Jays C 25
38 Todd Fischer California Angels P 26
35 Bill Latham Minnesota Twins P 26
35 Bill Mooneyham Oakland Athletics P 26
33 Bryan Oelkers Cleveland Indians P 26
10 Ron Romanick California Angels P 26
21 Ron Shepherd Toronto Blue Jays OF 26
17 Mike Brewer Kansas City Royals OF 27
38 Leo Hernandez New York Yankees 3B 27
23 Bryan Little Chicago White Sox 2B 27
26 Bryan Little New York Yankees 2B 27
15 Dwight Taylor Kansas City Royals OF 27
63 T.R. Bryden California Angels P 28
25 Tom Dodd Baltimore Orioles 3B 28
36 Rondin Johnson Kansas City Royals 2B 28
30 Ricky Jones Baltimore Orioles 2B 28
16 Ricky Nelson Seattle Mariners OF 28
55 La Schelle Tarver Boston Red Sox OF 28
26 George Wright Texas Rangers OF 28
24 Ricky Wright Texas Rangers P 28
17 Dennis Burtt Minnesota Twins P 29
47 Rod Craig Chicago White Sox OF 29
21 Andre David Minnesota Twins DH 29
37 Ray Fontenot Minnesota Twins P 29
33 Frank Pastore Minnesota Twins P 29
37 Mike Stenhouse Boston Red Sox OF 29
38 John Butcher Cleveland Indians P 30
32 John Butcher Minnesota Twins P 30
47 Jaime Cocanower Milwaukee Brewers P 30
46 Pete Ladd Seattle Mariners P 30
7 Rudy Law Kansas City Royals OF 30
22 Fran Mullins Cleveland Indians 2B 30
27 John Pacella Detroit Tigers P 30
47 Alfonso Pulido New York Yankees P 30
30 Dave Rozema Texas Rangers P 30
32 Bill Swaggerty Baltimore Orioles P 30
58 Juan Espino New York Yankees C 31
48 Tim Lollar Boston Red Sox P 31
31 Rick Peters Oakland Athletics OF 31
15 Dan Rohn Cleveland Indians 2B 31
45 Jim Beattie Seattle Mariners P 32
12 Julio Cruz Chicago White Sox 2B 32
50 Alan Hargesheimer Kansas City Royals P 32
42 Jack Perconte Chicago White Sox 2B 32
9 Barry Bonnell Seattle Mariners OF 33
23 Roy Lee Jackson Minnesota Twins P 33
11 Dave Stapleton Boston Red Sox 1B 33
11 Al Woods Minnesota Twins DH 33
35 Lynn Jones Kansas City Royals OF 34
42 Mickey Mahler Texas Rangers P 34
40 Mickey Mahler Toronto Blue Jays P 34
50 Pete Vuckovich Milwaukee Brewers P 34
54 Fernando Arroyo Oakland Athletics P 35
16 Al Cowens Seattle Mariners OF 35
51 Terry Forster California Angels P 35
11 Wayne Gross Oakland Athletics 3B 35
7 Marc Hill Chicago White Sox C 35
22 Rick Langford Oakland Athletics P 35
14 Bruce Bochte Oakland Athletics 1B 36
22 Dennis Leonard Kansas City Royals P 36
43 Vern Ruhle California Angels P 36
41 Jim Slaton California Angels P 36
20 Jim Slaton Detroit Tigers P 36
20 Gorman Thomas Milwaukee Brewers DH 36
20 Gorman Thomas Seattle Mariners DH 36
12 Dusty Baker Oakland Athletics OF 37
6 Bob Jones Texas Rangers OF 37
26 John Montefusco New York Yankees P 37
4 Greg Pryor Kansas City Royals 3B 37
34 Milt Wilcox Seattle Mariners P 37
15 George Foster Chicago White Sox OF 38
4 Bobby Grich California Angels 2B 38
11 Toby Harrah Texas Rangers 2B 38
46 Jim Kern Cleveland Indians P 38
26 Dave Kingman Oakland Athletics DH 38
13 Buck Martinez Toronto Blue Jays C 38
24 Ben Oglivie Milwaukee Brewers OF 38
7 Steve Yeager Seattle Mariners C 38
44 Cliff Johnson Toronto Blue Jays DH 39
43 Ken Forsch California Angels P 40
41 Tom Seaver Boston Red Sox P 42
41 Tom Seaver Chicago White Sox P 42
1986 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1986 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

Goose Goslin played for eighteen seasons and averaged one-hundred twenty-seven games played per season. In 1938, during his final at-bat, he twisted his back and was replaced at the plate by a pinch-hitter for the first time in his Major League career.

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.