1994 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 1994.

"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

1994

21 Tom Bolton Baltimore Orioles P 33
39 Lonnie Smith Baltimore Orioles DH 39
41 Jeff Tackett Baltimore Orioles C 29
32 Mark Williamson Baltimore Orioles P 35
47 Greg Blosser Boston Red Sox OF 23
23 Tom Brunansky Boston Red Sox OF 34
41 Steve Farr Boston Red Sox P 38
46 Gar Finnvold Boston Red Sox P 27
55 Joe Hesketh Boston Red Sox P 36
28 Greg Litton Boston Red Sox 2B 30
19 Jose Melendez Boston Red Sox P 29
27 Stan Royer Boston Red Sox 3B 27
22 Eric Wedge Boston Red Sox DH 27
28 Bob Zupcic Boston Red Sox OF 28
41 John Dopson California Angels P 31
22 Bo Jackson California Angels OF 32
21 Craig Lefferts California Angels P 37
18 Scott Lewis California Angels P 29
47 Ken Patterson California Angels P 30
3 Harold Reynolds California Angels 2B 34
36 Bill Sampen California Angels P 32
36 Jeff Schwarz California Angels P 31
34 Dann Howitt Chicago White Sox OF 31
49 Bob Melvin Chicago White Sox C 33
44 Dan Pasqua Chicago White Sox OF 33
49 Jeff Schwarz Chicago White Sox P 31
43 Bob Zupcic Chicago White Sox OF 28
52 Brian Barnes Cleveland Indians P 28
26 Steve Farr Cleveland Indians P 38
47 Jack Morris Cleveland Indians P 40
44 Russ Swan Cleveland Indians P 31
34 Matt Turner Cleveland Indians P 28
46 Bill Wertz Cleveland Indians P 28
9 Skeeter Barnes Detroit Tigers 1B 38
48 Storm Davis Detroit Tigers P 33
49 Junior Felix Detroit Tigers OF 27
36 Bill Gullickson Detroit Tigers P 36
27 Kurt Knudsen Detroit Tigers P 28
10 Phil Stidham Detroit Tigers P 26
30 Hubie Brooks Kansas City Royals DH 38
53 Jose DeJesus Kansas City Royals P 30
42 Dave Henderson Kansas City Royals OF 36
18 Tom Brunansky Milwaukee Brewers OF 34
49 Teddy Higuera Milwaukee Brewers P 36
42 Rick Wrona Milwaukee Brewers C 31
54 Keith Garagozzo Minnesota Twins P 25
14 Kent Hrbek Minnesota Twins 1B 35
47 Brett Merriman Minnesota Twins P 28
16 Derek Parks Minnesota Twins C 26
26 Daryl Boston New York Yankees OF 32
43 Bob Melvin New York Yankees C 33
19 Bob Ojeda New York Yankees P 37
54 Jeff Reardon New York Yankees P 39
19 Jim Bowie Oakland Athletics 1B 30
47 Miguel Jimenez Oakland Athletics P 25
37 Francisco Matos Oakland Athletics 2B 25
16 Troy Neel Oakland Athletics 1B 29
9 Junior Noboa Oakland Athletics 2B 30
52 Edwin Nunez Oakland Athletics P 32
6 Steve Sax Oakland Athletics 2B 35
42 Jeff Schaefer Oakland Athletics 3B 35
51 Roger Smithberg Oakland Athletics P 29
35 Bob Welch Oakland Athletics P 38
26 George Glinatsis Seattle Mariners P 25
54 Goose Gossage Seattle Mariners P 43
37 Greg Hibbard Seattle Mariners P 30
41 Milt Hill Seattle Mariners P 29
45 Chris Howard Seattle Mariners C 29
34 Quinn Mack Seattle Mariners OF 29
31 Bobby Thigpen Seattle Mariners P 31
1 Brian Turang Seattle Mariners OF 27
31 Jerry Willard Seattle Mariners C 35
77 Jack Armstrong Texas Rangers P 30
39 Duff Brumley Texas Rangers P 24
13 Butch Davis Texas Rangers OF 36
24 Steve Dreyer Texas Rangers P 25
52 Jay Howell Texas Rangers P 39
47 Bruce Hurst Texas Rangers P 37
25 James Hurst Texas Rangers P 27
11 Chuck Jackson Texas Rangers 3B 32
36 Tim Leary Texas Rangers P 36
8 Oddibe McDowell Texas Rangers OF 32
0 Junior Ortiz Texas Rangers C 35
5 Gary Redus Texas Rangers OF 38
35 Dan Smith Texas Rangers P 26
37 Randy St. Claire Toronto Blue Jays P 34
1994 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1994 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

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.

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.