1999 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 1999.

"You start chasing a ball and your brain immediately commands your body to: Run forward. Bend. Scoop up the ball. Peg it to the infield. Then your body says, 'Who, me?'" - Retirement comment made by Joe DiMaggio
 

American League Retirements

1999

4, 16 Mike Blowers Seattle Mariners 1B 35
7 Jeff King Kansas City Royals 1B 35
8 Scott Leius Kansas City Royals 1B 34
16 Mike Simms Texas Rangers 1B 33
50 Chad Fonville Boston Red Sox 2B 29
7 Pat Kelly Toronto Blue Jays 2B 32
6 Tony Phillips Oakland Athletics 2B 41
56 Cleatus Davidson Minnesota Twins 2B 23
38, 3 Norberto Martin Toronto Blue Jays 2B 33
55 Liu Rodriguez Chicago White Sox 2B 23
2 Jed Hansen Kansas City Royals 2B 27
24 Willis Otanez Baltimore Orioles 3B 27
12 Wade Boggs Tampa Bay Devil Rays 3B 41
21 Willis Otanez Toronto Blue Jays 3B 27
5 Brent Gates Minnesota Twins 3B 30
4 Dave Silvestri Anaheim Angels 3B 32
13 Mike Figga Baltimore Orioles C 29
13 Mike Figga New York Yankees C 29
4 Bret Hemphill Anaheim Angels C 28
56 Steve Lomasney Boston Red Sox C 22
12 Tim Spehr Kansas City Royals C 33
37 Steve Decker Anaheim Angels C 34
15 Mike Macfarlane Oakland Athletics C 36
36 Terry Steinbach Minnesota Twins C 38
39 Creighton Gubanich Boston Red Sox C 28
23 Tommy Davis Baltimore Orioles C 27
45 Chili Davis New York Yankees DH 40
39 Darryl Strawberry New York Yankees DH 38
18 Reggie Jefferson Boston Red Sox DH 31
56 Brian McRae Toronto Blue Jays DH 32
10 Rich Butler Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF 27
17 Curtis Goodwin Toronto Blue Jays OF 27
20 Patrick Lennon Toronto Blue Jays OF 32
2 Jacob Brumfield Toronto Blue Jays OF 35
41 Danny Clyburn Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF 26
22 Darrin Jackson Chicago White Sox OF 37
12 Reggie Williams Anaheim Angels OF 34
33 Matt Luke Anaheim Angels OF 29
44 Paul Sorrento Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF 34
20 Rob Butler Toronto Blue Jays OF 30
29 Derrick May Baltimore Orioles OF 31
12 Shane Monahan Seattle Mariners OF 25
45 Paul Assenmacher Cleveland Indians P 39
44 Brian Barber Kansas City Royals P 27
58 Will Brunson Detroit Tigers P 30
31 Melvin Bunch Seattle Mariners P 28
49 Tom Candiotti Cleveland Indians P 42
49 Tom Candiotti Oakland Athletics P 42
26 Rafael Carmona Seattle Mariners P 27
61 Jin Ho Cho Boston Red Sox P 24
28 Ken Cloude Seattle Mariners P 25
27 Jim Corsi Baltimore Orioles P 38
41 Jim Corsi Boston Red Sox P 38
51 Pat Daneker Chicago White Sox P 24
47 Rich DeLucia Cleveland Indians P 35
27 Tony Fossas New York Yankees P 42
28 Eddie Gaillard Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 29
52 Beiker Graterol Detroit Tigers P 25
27 Butch Henry Seattle Mariners P 31
43 John Hudek Toronto Blue Jays P 33
55 Doug Johns Baltimore Orioles P 32
57 Jeff Juden New York Yankees P 29
58 Tim Kubinski Oakland Athletics P 28
22 Mark Langston Cleveland Indians P 39
37 Corey Lee Texas Rangers P 25
40 Eric Ludwick Toronto Blue Jays P 28
39 Terry Mathews Kansas City Royals P 35
72 Jack McDowell Anaheim Angels P 34
46 Steve Mintz Anaheim Angels P 31
21 Jeff Montgomery Kansas City Royals P 38
51 Alvin Morman Kansas City Royals P 31
31 Dan Naulty New York Yankees P 30
44 Mike Oquist Oakland Athletics P 32
57 Juan Pena Boston Red Sox P 22
49 Dan Perkins Minnesota Twins P 25
34 Marc Pisciotta Kansas City Royals P 29
34 Jim Pittsley Kansas City Royals P 26
31 Mark Portugal Boston Red Sox P 37
51 Rob Radlosky Minnesota Twins P 26
57 Gary Rath Minnesota Twins P 27
52 Todd Rizzo Chicago White Sox P 29
51 Mel Rojas Detroit Tigers P 33
46 Mike Romano Toronto Blue Jays P 28
23 Benj Sampson Minnesota Twins P 25
62 Marino Santana Boston Red Sox P 28
31 Tony Saunders Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 26
57 Aaron Scheffer Seattle Mariners P 24
41 Steve Sinclair Seattle Mariners P 28
46 Steve Sinclair Toronto Blue Jays P 28
37 Paul Wagner Cleveland Indians P 32
34 Derek Wallace Kansas City Royals P 28
29 Bob Wolcott Boston Red Sox P 26
46 Jordan Zimmerman Seattle Mariners P 25
34 Jason Dellaero Chicago White Sox SS 23
4 Giomar Guevara Seattle Mariners SS 27
15 Jon Shave Texas Rangers SS 32
26 Domingo Cedeno Seattle Mariners SS 31
6 Steve Scarsone Kansas City Royals SS 34
46 Luis Garcia Detroit Tigers SS 25
2 Rafael Bournigal Seattle Mariners SS 34
1999 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1999 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.

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.