1991 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 1991.

"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

1991

38 Dana Allison Oakland Athletics P 25
37 Beau Allred Cleveland Indians OF 26
49 Allan Anderson Minnesota Twins P 28
38 Don August Milwaukee Brewers P 28
27 John Barfield Texas Rangers P 27
36 Chris Beasley California Angels P 29
9 Tony Bernazard Detroit Tigers 2B 35
44 Joe Bitker Texas Rangers P 28
29 Oil Can Boyd Texas Rangers P 32
9 Greg Brock Milwaukee Brewers 1B 34
22 George Canale Milwaukee Brewers 1B 26
10 Nick Capra Texas Rangers OF 34
41 Jeff Carter Chicago White Sox P 27
22 Carmen Castillo Minnesota Twins OF 33
55 John Cerutti Detroit Tigers P 32
49 Steve Chitren Oakland Athletics P 24
39 Stu Cole Kansas City Royals 2B 26
32 Keith Comstock Seattle Mariners P 36
28 Steve Crawford Kansas City Royals P 34
49 Warren Cromartie Kansas City Royals 1B 38
42 Mike Dalton Detroit Tigers P 29
40 Mark Davis California Angels OF 27
58 Francisco de la Rosa Baltimore Orioles P 26
17 Luis de los Santos Detroit Tigers OF 25
42 Tom Drees Chicago White Sox P 28
22 Kirk Dressendorfer Oakland Athletics P 23
45 Wayne Edwards Chicago White Sox P 28
46 Bruce Egloff Cleveland Indians P 27
6 Jose Escobar Cleveland Indians SS 31
24 Dwight Evans Baltimore Orioles OF 40
32 Dan Gakeler Detroit Tigers P 28
39 Wes Gardner Kansas City Royals P 31
59 Chris George Milwaukee Brewers P 25
38 Jeff Gray Boston Red Sox P 29
30 Ken Griffey Seattle Mariners OF 42
40 Andy Hawkins New York Yankees P 32
41 Andy Hawkins Oakland Athletics P 32
45 Kevin Hickey Baltimore Orioles P 36
36 Brian Holman Seattle Mariners P 27
43 Jim Hunter Milwaukee Brewers P 27
25 Tracy Jones Seattle Mariners DH 31
19 Dana Kiecker Boston Red Sox P 31
58 Garland Kiser Cleveland Indians P 23
42 Ron Kittle Chicago White Sox 1B 34
48 Brad Komminsk Oakland Athletics OF 31
2 Vance Law Oakland Athletics 3B 35
22 Luis Lopez Cleveland Indians C 27
17 Scott Lusader New York Yankees OF 27
48 Julio Machado Milwaukee Brewers P 26
6 Ever Magallanes Cleveland Indians SS 26
14 Fred Manrique Oakland Athletics SS 30
22 Mike Marshall Boston Red Sox 1B 32
41 Mike Marshall California Angels 1B 32
13 Carmelo Martinez Kansas City Royals 1B 31
38 Andy McGaffigan Kansas City Royals P 35
23 Luis Medina Cleveland Indians DH 29
9 Bobby Moore Kansas City Royals OF 26
43 Kevin Morton Boston Red Sox P 23
15 Lloyd Moseby Detroit Tigers OF 32
42 Eric Nolte Texas Rangers P 28
18 Jim Olander Milwaukee Brewers OF 29
34 Johnny Paredes Detroit Tigers 2B 29
39 Dave Parker California Angels DH 40
39 Dave Parker Toronto Blue Jays DH 40
34 Pascual Perez New York Yankees P 35
46 Dan Petry Boston Red Sox P 33
46 Dan Petry Detroit Tigers P 33
54 Jeff Plympton Boston Red Sox P 26
7 Alonzo Powell Seattle Mariners OF 27
26 Terry Puhl Kansas City Royals OF 35
48 John Ramos New York Yankees C 26
23 Pat Rice Seattle Mariners P 28
16 Kevin Romine Boston Red Sox OF 31
27 Mark Salas Detroit Tigers C 31
43 Dan Schatzeder Kansas City Royals P 37
32 Calvin Schiraldi Texas Rangers P 29
18 Tony Scruggs Texas Rangers OF 26
25 John Shelby Detroit Tigers OF 34
17 Pat Sheridan New York Yankees OF 34
30 Eric Show Oakland Athletics P 36
4 Joel Skinner Cleveland Indians C 31
43 Roy Smith Baltimore Orioles P 30
41 Wade Taylor New York Yankees P 26
8 Max Venable California Angels OF 34
34 Hector Wagner Kansas City Royals P 23
47 Don Wakamatsu Chicago White Sox C 29
51 Steve Wapnick Chicago White Sox P 26
11 Ernie Whitt Baltimore Orioles C 39
13 Kenny Williams Toronto Blue Jays OF 28
44 Frank Wills Toronto Blue Jays P 33
3 Mookie Wilson Toronto Blue Jays OF 36
57 Ron Witmeyer Oakland Athletics 1B 24
56 Mike York Cleveland Indians P 27
17 Paul Zuvella Kansas City Royals 3B 33
1991 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1991 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

Did you know that future hall of fame pitcher Walter Johnson ended his Major League career in 1927 with a pinch-hit appearance? During the final game of the season pitcher Tom Zachary, who had just given up Babe Ruth's sixtieth home run of the season, was lifted and Johnson replaced him at the plate.

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.