2001 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 2001.

"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
 

National League Retirements

2001

18 Jeff Abbott Florida Marlins OF 29
11 Kurt Abbott Atlanta Braves 2B 32
40 Cory Aldridge Atlanta Braves OF 22
39 Justin Atchley Cincinnati Reds P 28
49 Benito Baez Florida Marlins P 25
24 Glen Barker Houston Astros OF 31
50 Andy Barkett Pittsburgh Pirates OF 27
16 Kimera Bartee Colorado Rockies OF 29
46 Todd Belitz Colorado Rockies P 26
14 Derek Bell Pittsburgh Pirates OF 33
50 Matt Blank Montreal Expos P 26
18 Tim Bogar Los Angeles Dodgers 1B 35
41 Brian Bohanon Colorado Rockies P 33
29 Ricky Bones Florida Marlins P 33
24 Bobby Bonilla St. Louis Cardinals 1B 39
47 Kent Bottenfield Houston Astros P 33
7 Jeff Branson Los Angeles Dodgers 2B 35
2 Rico Brogna Atlanta Braves 1B 32
35 Cliff Brumbaugh Colorado Rockies OF 28
9 Damon Buford Chicago Cubs OF 31
11 Ken Caminiti Atlanta Braves 1B 39
43 Bobby Chouinard Colorado Rockies P 30
54 Tim Christman Colorado Rockies P 27
29 Stubby Clapp St. Louis Cardinals 2B 29
56 Rocky Coppinger Milwaukee Brewers P 28
52 Felipe Crespo Philadelphia Phillies OF 29
52 Felipe Crespo San Francisco Giants 1B 29
36 D.T. Cromer Cincinnati Reds 1B 31
26 Mike Darr San Diego Padres OF 26
23 Joe Davenport Colorado Rockies P 26
22 Eric Davis San Francisco Giants OF 40
59 Lance Davis Cincinnati Reds P 25
18 Russ Davis San Francisco Giants 3B 32
29 Rob Ducey Montreal Expos OF 37
2 Rob Ducey Philadelphia Phillies OF 37
47 Horacio Estrada Colorado Rockies P 26
20 Tony Eusebio Houston Astros C 35
43 Osvaldo Fernandez Cincinnati Reds P 33
7 Tony Fernandez Milwaukee Brewers 3B 39
29 P.J. Forbes Philadelphia Phillies 2B 34
53 Gus Gandarillas Milwaukee Brewers P 30
26 Mark Gardner San Francisco Giants P 40
23 Bernard Gilkey Atlanta Braves OF 35
27 Mike Gulan Florida Marlins 3B 31
50 Geraldo Guzman Arizona Diamondbacks P 29
19 Tony Gwynn San Diego Padres OF 42
18 Darryl Hamilton New York Mets OF 37
38 Pete Harnisch Cincinnati Reds P 35
14 Charlie Hayes Houston Astros 3B 37
27 Alex Hernandez Pittsburgh Pirates OF 25
59 Junior Herndon San Diego Padres P 23
44 Phil Hiatt Los Angeles Dodgers 3B 33
32 Brett Hinchliffe New York Mets P 27
65 Chad Hutchinson St. Louis Cardinals P 25
26 Robin Jennings Cincinnati Reds OF 30
30 Robin Jennings Colorado Rockies OF 30
58 Brett Jodie San Diego Padres P 25
26 Brian Johnson Los Angeles Dodgers C 34
31 Mike Johnson Montreal Expos P 26
16 Terry Jones Montreal Expos OF 31
23 Kevin Jordan Philadelphia Phillies 1B 32
15 Randy Knorr Montreal Expos C 33
38 Brandon Kolb Milwaukee Brewers P 28
18 Jalal Leach San Francisco Giants OF 33
23 Mark Leiter Milwaukee Brewers P 39
50 Jesse Levis Milwaukee Brewers C 34
43 Felipe Lira Montreal Expos P 30
51 Rich Loiselle Pittsburgh Pirates P 30
51 Scott MacRae Cincinnati Reds P 27
12 Dave Magadan San Diego Padres 3B 39
14 Dave Martinez Atlanta Braves OF 37
38 Ramon Martinez Pittsburgh Pirates P 34
56 Troy Mattes Montreal Expos P 26
32 Keith McDonald St. Louis Cardinals C 29
43 Chuck McElroy San Diego Padres P 34
25 Mark McGwire St. Louis Cardinals 1B 38
59 Tony McKnight Houston Astros P 24
45 Tony McKnight Pittsburgh Pirates P 24
2 Pat Meares Pittsburgh Pirates 2B 33
4 Ryan Minor Montreal Expos 3B 28
52 Mike Mohler Arizona Diamondbacks P 33
50 Trey Moore Atlanta Braves P 29
24 James Mouton Milwaukee Brewers OF 33
4 Lyle Mouton Florida Marlins OF 33
46 Bobby Munoz Montreal Expos P 34
35 Will Ohman Chicago Cubs P 24
31 Omar Olivares Pittsburgh Pirates P 34
30 Gregg Olson Los Angeles Dodgers P 35
28 Bill Ortega St. Louis Cardinals PH 26
36 Angel Pena Los Angeles Dodgers C 27
9 Elvis Pena Milwaukee Brewers 2B 25
9 Robert Perez Milwaukee Brewers OF 32
1 Santiago Perez San Diego Padres OF 26
29 Chris Peters Montreal Expos P 30
26 Kyle Peterson Milwaukee Brewers P 26
60 Chris Piersoll Cincinnati Reds P 24
56 Dante Powell San Francisco Giants OF 28
31 Paul Rigdon Milwaukee Brewers P 26
58 Frankie Rodriguez Cincinnati Reds P 29
45, 66 Wilfredo Rodriguez Houston Astros P 23
23 Brian Rose New York Mets P 26
48 Johnny Ruffin Florida Marlins P 30
8 Rob Ryan Arizona Diamondbacks PH 28
2 Deion Sanders Cincinnati Reds OF 34
23 Luis Saturria St. Louis Cardinals OF 25
26 Bob Scanlan Montreal Expos P 35
51 Chris Seelbach Atlanta Braves P 29
16 Kevin Sefcik Colorado Rockies PH 31
39 Wascar Serrano San Diego Padres P 23
21 Scott Servais Houston Astros C 34
41 Jeff Shaw Los Angeles Dodgers P 35
36 Joe Slusarski Atlanta Braves P 35
58 Joe Slusarski Houston Astros P 35
45 Chuck Smith Florida Marlins P 32
49, 64 Scott Sobkowiak Atlanta Braves P 24
2 Juan Sosa Arizona Diamondbacks 3B 26
28 Bill Spiers Houston Astros PH 35
50 Joe Strong Florida Marlins P 39
46 Jeff Tabaka St. Louis Cardinals P 38
36 Kevin Tapani Chicago Cubs P 38
36 Billy Taylor Pittsburgh Pirates P 40
30 Jorge Toca New York Mets 1B 27
43 Marc Valdes Atlanta Braves P 30
4 Quilvio Veras Atlanta Braves 2B 31
25 Turner Ward Philadelphia Phillies PH 37
7 John Wehner Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 34
38 Don Wengert Pittsburgh Pirates P 32
22 Devon White Milwaukee Brewers OF 39
50 Marc Wilkins Pittsburgh Pirates P 31
20 Rick Wilkins San Diego Padres C 34
37 Scott Winchester Cincinnati Reds P 29
40 Bobby Witt Arizona Diamondbacks P 38
15 Julio Zuleta Chicago Cubs 1B 27
2001 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 2001 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.

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).