1990 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 1990.

"I want to hit a routine grounder to second and run all out to first base, then get thrown out by a half step. I want to leave an example to the young guys that that's how you play the game, all out." - George Brett
 

American League Retirements

1990

59 Steve Adkins New York Yankees P 26
46 Jay Aldrich Baltimore Orioles P 30
7 Kent Anderson California Angels SS 27
21 Doug Baker Minnesota Twins 2B 30
34 Billy Bates Milwaukee Brewers 2B 27
34 Kevin Bearse Cleveland Indians P 25
18 Kevin Belcher Texas Rangers OF 23
8 Bob Boone Kansas City Royals C 43
37 Danny Boone Baltimore Orioles P 37
32 Thad Bosley Texas Rangers OF 34
1 Phil Bradley Baltimore Orioles OF 32
8 Phil Bradley Chicago White Sox OF 32
10 Tom Brookens Cleveland Indians 3B 37
28 Marty Brown Baltimore Orioles 2B 28
22 Bill Buckner Boston Red Sox 1B 41
57 Jim Campbell Kansas City Royals P 25
45 Bryan Clark Seattle Mariners P 34
36, 46 Mark Clear California Angels P 35
10 Pete Coachman California Angels 3B 29
34 Chris Codiroli Kansas City Royals P 33
36 Sherman Corbett California Angels P 28
32 Steve Cummings Toronto Blue Jays P 26
59 Carlos Diaz Toronto Blue Jays C 26
2 Edgar Diaz Milwaukee Brewers SS 27
37 Richard Dotson Kansas City Royals P 32
54 Tim Drummond Minnesota Twins P 26
16 Brian DuBois Detroit Tigers P 24
5 Jim Dwyer Minnesota Twins DH 41
37 Gary Eave Seattle Mariners P 27
35 Narciso Elvira Milwaukee Brewers P 23
54 Luis Encarnacion Kansas City Royals P 27
26 Jim Eppard Toronto Blue Jays PH 31
35 Pete Filson Kansas City Royals P 32
30 Terry Francona Milwaukee Brewers 1B 32
29 Brian Giles Seattle Mariners SS 31
46 Tom Gilles Toronto Blue Jays P 28
38 CeciIio Guante Cleveland Indians P 31
17 Keith Hernandez Cleveland Indians 1B 37
31 Eric Hetzel Boston Red Sox P 27
51 Brian Holton Baltimore Orioles P 31
44 John Hoover Texas Rangers P 28
48 Steve Howard Oakland Athletics OF 27
2 Steve Jeltz Kansas City Royals 2B 32
43 Matt Kinzer Detroit Tigers P 27
5 Randy Kutcher Boston Red Sox OF 31
52 Jerry Kutzler Chicago White Sox P 26
10 Rick Lancellotti Boston Red Sox 1B 34
18 Tom Lawless Toronto Blue Jays 3B 34
38 John Leister Boston Red Sox P 30
34 Chet Lemon Detroit Tigers OF 36
00 Jeffrey Leonard Seattle Mariners OF 35
42 Vance Lovelace Seattle Mariners P 27
38 Rick Luecken Toronto Blue Jays P 30
20 Urbano Lugo Detroit Tigers P 28
51 Ramon Manon Texas Rangers P 23
34 Larry McWilliams Kansas City Royals P 37
53 Scott Medvin Seattle Mariners P 29
50 Gary Mielke Texas Rangers P 28
38 Greg Minton California Angels P 39
27 Paul Mirabella Milwaukee Brewers P 37
24 John Mitchell Baltimore Orioles P 25
42 Al Nipper Cleveland Indians P 32
21 Donell Nixon Baltimore Orioles OF 29
17 Mike Norris Oakland Athletics P 36
37 Randy Nosek Detroit Tigers P 24
29 Rey Palacios Kansas City Royals C 28
42 Jim Pankovits Boston Red Sox 2B 35
44 Ken Phelps Cleveland Indians 1B 36
44 Ken Phelps Oakland Athletics DH 36
23 Joe Price Baltimore Orioles P 34
3 Johnny Ray California Angels 2B 34
3, 45 Jerry Reed Boston Red Sox P 35
31 Jerry Reed Seattle Mariners P 35
37 Jeff Richardson California Angels P 27
13 Billy Jo Robidoux Boston Red Sox 1B 27
54 Mike Rochford Boston Red Sox P 28
12 Ed Romero Detroit Tigers 3B 33
31 Israel Sanchez Kansas City Royals P 27
2 Rafael Santana Cleveland Indians SS 33
20 Jack Savage Minnesota Twins P 27
23 Bill Schroeder California Angels C 32
46 Mike Schwabe Detroit Tigers P 26
30 Bob Sebra Milwaukee Brewers P 29
40 Daryl Smith Kansas City Royals P 30
41 Mike Smith Baltimore Orioles P 27
21 Matt Stark Chicago White Sox DH 26
28 Jeff Stone Boston Red Sox DH 30
52 Mel Stottlemyre Kansas City Royals P 27
46 Dorn Taylor Baltimore Orioles P 32
50 Jay Tibbs Baltimore Orioles P 29
2 Wayne Tolleson New York Yankees SS 35
26 Ozzie Virgil Toronto Blue Jays C 34
35 Greg Walker Baltimore Orioles DH 31
29 Greg Walker Chicago White Sox 1B 31
50 Colby Ward Cleveland Indians P 27
32 Gary Ward Detroit Tigers OF 37
18 Claudell Washington California Angels OF 36
17 Claudell Washington New York Yankees OF 36
20 Frank White Kansas City Royals 2B 40
41 Rich Yett Minnesota Twins P 28
1990 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1990 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

On September 28, 1960, broadcaster Curt Gowdy uttered, "It's got a chance. It's got a chance. And it's gone!" Those words were used to describe the final at-bat of slugger Ted Williams.

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).