1990 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 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
 

National League Retirements

1990

48 Marty Clary Atlanta Braves P 29
7 Jody Davis Atlanta Braves 1B 34
17 Nick Esasky Atlanta Braves 1B 31
8 Alexis Infante Atlanta Braves 2B 29
40 Charlie Kerfeld Atlanta Braves P 27
17 Jimmy Kremers Atlanta Braves C 25
49 Rick Luecken Atlanta Braves P 30
38 Kelly Mann Atlanta Braves C 23
34 Paul Marak Atlanta Braves P 25
52 Rusty Richards Atlanta Braves P 26
8 Victor Rosario Atlanta Braves SS 24
14 Andres Thomas Atlanta Braves SS 27
51 Kevin Blankenship Chicago Cubs P 28
42 Kevin Coffman Chicago Cubs P 26
33 Lance Dickson Chicago Cubs P 21
43 Joe Kraemer Chicago Cubs P 26
39 Jose Nunez Chicago Cubs P 27
41 Jeff Pico Chicago Cubs P 25
15 Domingo Ramos Chicago Cubs 3B 33
25 Marvell Wynne Chicago Cubs OF 31
12 Billy Bates Cincinnati Reds 2B 27
48 Tim Birtsas Cincinnati Reds P 30
12 Paul Noce Cincinnati Reds PH 31
16 Ron Oester Cincinnati Reds 2B 35
36 Rolando Roomes Cincinnati Reds OF 29
8 Alex Trevino Cincinnati Reds C 33
17 Jeff Baldwin Houston Astros OF 25
54 Randy Hennis Houston Astros P 25
37 Charlie Kerfeld Houston Astros P 27
4 Steve Lombardozzi Houston Astros PH 31
26 Louie Meadows Houston Astros OF 30
35 Brian Meyer Houston Astros P 28
9 Alex Trevino Houston Astros C 33
22 Don Aase Los Angeles Dodgers P 36
9 Mickey Hatcher Los Angeles Dodgers 1B 36
31 Jim Neidlinger Los Angeles Dodgers P 26
26 Pat Perry Los Angeles Dodgers P 32
59 Ray Searage Los Angeles Dodgers P 36
20 Brian Traxler Los Angeles Dodgers 1B 23
51 Dave Walsh Los Angeles Dodgers P 30
51 Terry Wells Los Angeles Dodgers P 27
49 Howard Farmer Montreal Expos P 24
26 Brett Gideon Montreal Expos P 27
45 Drew Hall Montreal Expos P 28
6 Wallace Johnson Montreal Expos 1B 34
42 Bob Malloy Montreal Expos P 26
15 Orlando Mercado Montreal Expos C 29
54 Dale Mohorcic Montreal Expos P 35
27 Rolando Roomes Montreal Expos OF 29
48 Rich Thompson Montreal Expos P 32
46 Chris Jelic New York Mets OF 27
36 Dave Liddell New York Mets C 24
35 Orlando Mercado New York Mets C 29
13 Jeff Musselman New York Mets P 27
27 Tom O'Malley New York Mets 3B 30
1 Lou Thornton New York Mets OF 28
6 Alex Trevino New York Mets C 33
27 Curt Ford Philadelphia Phillies OF 30
43 Ken Howell Philadelphia Phillies P 30
53 Chuck Malone Philadelphia Phillies P 25
29 Louie Meadows Philadelphia Phillies OF 30
46 Brad Moore Philadelphia Phillies P 26
11 Tom Nieto Philadelphia Phillies C 30
34 Dickie Noles Philadelphia Phillies P 34
46 Doug Bair Pittsburgh Pirates P 41
42 Steve Carter Pittsburgh Pirates OF 26
47, 49 Jerry Reuss Pittsburgh Pirates P 41
23 R.J. Reynolds Pittsburgh Pirates OF 32
58 Mike Roesler Pittsburgh Pirates P 27
29, 30 Mark Ross Pittsburgh Pirates P 33
27 Mark Ryal Pittsburgh Pirates OF 31
30 Jay Tibbs Pittsburgh Pirates P 29
44 John Davis San Diego Padres P 28
8 Fred Lynn San Diego Padres OF 39
7 Rob Nelson San Diego Padres PH 27
54 Ronn Reynolds San Diego Padres C 32
35 Rafael Valdez San Diego Padres P 23
18 Bill Bathe San Francisco Giants C 30
51 Greg Booker San Francisco Giants P 30
13 Ernie Camacho San Francisco Giants P 36
39 Bob Knepper San Francisco Giants P 37
39 Mike Laga San Francisco Giants 1B 30
25 Rick Leach San Francisco Giants OF 34
36 Randy McCament San Francisco Giants P 28
55 Randy O'Neal San Francisco Giants P 30
47 Dan Quisenberry San Francisco Giants P 38
59 Rick Rodriguez San Francisco Giants P 30
35 Andres Santana San Francisco Giants SS 23
30 Mark Thurmond San Francisco Giants P 34
62 Ernie Camacho St. Louis Cardinals P 36
61 Stan Clarke St. Louis Cardinals P 30
15 Dave Collins St. Louis Cardinals 1B 38
42 Howard Hilton St. Louis Cardinals P 27
49 Ricky Horton St. Louis Cardinals P 31
41 Tom Niedenfuer St. Louis Cardinals P 31
30 John Tudor St. Louis Cardinals P 37
1990 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1990 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.

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.