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 are George Brett and all the cheering has stopped. The music is muted, the hour is late, and they will be taking the banners down and emptying your locker any minute now. As the late Jimmy Cannon would say it, 'All your bats are broken.'" - Broadcaster Jim Murray
 

American League Retirements

1986

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

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.